To register or not to register?

[Nmbr1stunna80]

i tried to look around on here for the answer to this question but didn’t have much luck so I apologize if it’s already been discussed.

I recently purchased a phantom 4 for recreational flying. Even though I’m not required to register it, I was tempted to do so anyway with the thought that it could benifit me legally in some instances that may arise. Then I started to question if there was any negatives to registering a drone for non commercial flying.

That is basically what I’m curious about. What are the pros and cons to registering my drone for recreational use? Should I or should I not take this step? Thanks in advance for your input!

 

[PaulSouthport]

That depends what country you are in.
In UK there is no register.
In Ireland, you must register.
IN USA, you used to need to register, but no more.

 

[Nmbr1stunna80]

Yeah I guess I should have included that I am in the US

 

[BigAl07]

No real reason to NOT register unless you're worried about your information being in the DB with the FAA.

Honestly it's very likely registration for hobbyist is going to be required again very shortly so do now or do it later but my $$ is saying you're be required to pretty soon.

IMHO there's no valid reason to NOT register. Most of us have done it this way for decades now.

 

[Indiana_pyro]

IMHO there's no valid reason to NOT register. Most of us have done it this way for decades now.

Decades? How many decades have you owned a drone ?

 

[BigAl07]

Decades? How many decades have you owned a drone ?

Some of us have been flying them long before the term "Drone" was applied to them. We called them R/C Aircraft and even MultiRotors until the media tagged them with the military term "Drone".

I started flying R/C planes and such in 1974. Back then we had to get a Radio Operators License from the FCC. Also in order to be a member of the AMA we had to put all of our contact information on each and every aircraft we flew.

While it wasn't called "Registration" and they weren't called "Drones" we have been doing this a long time. The only difference is it cost us >$50/year and we made the check out to AMA. Now it's $5/3 for years and we make the check payable to FAA. Oh and some of us still do AMA as well.

 

[Indiana_pyro]

Some of us have been flying them long before the term "Drone" was applied to them. We called them R/C Aircraft and even MultiRotors until the media tagged them with the military term "Drone".

I started flying R/C planes and such in 1974. Back then we had to get a Radio Operators License from the FCC. Also in order to be a member of the AMA we had to put all of our contact information on each and every aircraft we flew.

While it wasn't called "Registration" and they weren't called "Drones" we have been doing this a long time. The only difference is it cost us >$50/year and we made the check out to AMA. Now it's $5/3 for years and we make the check payable to FAA. Oh and some of us still do AMA as well.

Right on- I have been fling gas and electric planes and helicopters for many years. I personally had more fun with those than drones until the technology to view cameras from the ground came in.

 

[BigAl07]

Right on- I have been fling gas and electric planes and helicopters for many years. I personally had more fun with those than drones until the technology to view cameras from the ground came in.

I agree except I only fly MultiRotors for work now. My fun flights are still planks and heli. I'm a Yank-n-bank kind of guy and love to fly my planes. I fly something almost every day (weather permitting).

 

[Indiana_pyro]

yep, I have almost all but parked my planes. It use to be a day event to load up planes and head to the local fling field until we poured our own runway on our property. We have since tore out the runway since we didn't use it much anymore. Not much need for the runway when you can launch your drone from almost anywhere. I just didn't remember there being quad prop multi rotors pre 1997.

 

[BigAl07]

I live about 1/2 mile from our local club field and I don't fly there "physically" much any more either. I still have a few larger planes that need the runway but most of mine how are small enough to hand launch and hand land LOL. I fly almost everything from my back deck and never leave the deck chair LOL. With the advent of E-Flight/Blade's new micro line of airplanes it really is easy to fly from your hand.

 

[Indiana_pyro]

Yes- so much has changed. The ability to fly from just about anywhere now is something that just wasn't then unless you had a parking lot or a good county road to take off from. Most fling was done at the field.

 

[jeffcutler]

WAIT. The only reason I can posit for not registering is when all the authorities get the DJI tracking unit (a pelican-case sized piece of equipment) that can read telemetry, ownership, registration, etc. from any in-air UAS. Not that I'd do it (stay unregistered) because I've got my Part 107 and I'm using the Phantom 3 Standard for business, but if you want to fly recreationally and don't want to be tracked, then you might want to stay unregistered.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

This has been discussed on other threads but for the record...

Congress Poised to Restore Drone Registration Tossed by Court

 

[tcope]

No real reason to NOT register unless you're worried about your information being in the DB with the FAA.

$5, time effort for zero return. Those would be several reasons.

It's like saying, why not simply flush $5 down the commode. No reason not to.

 

[Cuckaburra]

If you don't register and you crash into someone or something are you more screwed. Than you would be if you were registered?or does it matter?

 

[FLYBOYJ]

If you don't register and you crash into someone or something are you more screwed. Than you would be if you were registered?or does it matter?

If its made law again (and it looks like it will be) and you don't register and "crash into someone or something" I'd say you are "more screwed."

 

[tescode]

Newbie UK question;
I've bought a P3s and downloaded DJI go app Can I use drone without registering as I'm hitting a wall ar 'registered email' screen, is that previous owner or should that be my own new email?