{"id":2031,"date":"2020-01-22T12:03:46","date_gmt":"2020-01-22T12:03:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dronesvilla.com\/?p=2031"},"modified":"2021-12-08T15:59:30","modified_gmt":"2021-12-08T15:59:30","slug":"faa-drone-registration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dronesvilla.com\/faa-drone-registration\/","title":{"rendered":"All You Need to Know About FAA Registration"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Consumer drones have become a staple in our skies today, and\ninterest continues to rise with each passing day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While a rise in the number of drone users in the world is\ngood news for manufacturers, retailers, and enthusiasts, it does pose some\nproblems for those tasked with keeping our skies safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aviation authorities like the Federal Aviation\nAdministration (FAA) and its counterparts around the world have it all to do to\nkeep up with the rapidly changing landscape that is the drone space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the number of drones in the sky and their operators keep\nincreasing, one of the ways authorities keep a handle on things is drone\nregistration, and, in some areas, pilot registration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we discuss all you need to know about FAA\ndrone registration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is it always necessary?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the procedures?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What about foreign-based drone pilots?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We clarify all this and more with respect to the FAA in the\narticle below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is It Mandatory to\nRegister Your Drone with the FAA?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Shortly after consumer drones became popular, there were no\nhard and fast rules on who should get registered and who shouldn\u2019t. And this\nwas especially true for recreational pilots who only flew their drones as a\nhobby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But by 2015, that status quo lay firmly in the past as\naviation authorities, particularly the FAA sought to bring some order into the\ndrone space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In December of 2015, the FAA rolled out a new set of\nregulations that requires all UAV operators, whether recreational or\ncommercial, to register their drones. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This law is binding on all drones that weigh more than 0.55 pounds (249g) and less than 55 pounds. Therefore, drones under 250 grams<\/a> don’t require registration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reason for this change, according to the FAA, was to\nensure the safety of drone pilots and bystanders and also to enforce\naccountability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the U.S. Transportation Secretary at the time,\nAnthony Foxx, drone operators and enthusiasts can rightly be considered\naviators as much as any other aircraft pilot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And for that reason, making registration mandatory offers an\nopportunity to ensure that these drone aviators can operate and enjoy their\ndevices in peace and safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people may find it strange that something they classify\nas a fancy toy needs to be registered with the federal administration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But when you consider the far reaching effects of drone technology across several unrelated fields in today\u2019s world, you may better understand the reason behind the FAA\u2019s thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With these unmanned aerial vehicles comes both opportunity\nand risk, and the FAA has been keen to keep everyone safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an unregistered drone operator, you could be fined\nanything from $27,500 for civil cases, up to $250,000 for criminal cases with\nthe possibility of a three-year jail term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of December 2019, there were over 1.5 million drones\nregistered with the FAA. The majority of these are recreational drones, while\ncommercial drones registered number just over four hundred thousand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are also 160,748 remote pilots certified with the FAA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why the FAA Wants\nDrones Registered<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It is no secret that the overwhelming majority of drone\noperators go about their activities safely and responsibly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there are still a few operators who keep on finding ways\nto put their drones to illegal use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of these instances include when drones have shown up\ntoo close to airport runways, and when drones have been used to deliver or drop\ndrugs and other items into prisons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In these cases, the only way the authorities can trace the\nperpetrators of these acts is by keeping a tab on all drones in circulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Operating a UAV is, in more than one way, similar to driving\na car\u2014you need a paper trail to identify those whose devices cause damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, apart from drones that weigh less than 0.55 pounds or\nmore than 55  pounds, there is no\nexception to the need to get a drone registered. Whether you intend flying your\nnew drone as a hobby or using it for commercial purposes, you need to get it\nregistered with the FAA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Incidentally, there are many drones which weigh less than\n0.55 pounds and carry cameras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are usually considered beginner drones, and they are\ngiven to very young children and pilots who are just beginning to learn how to\nfly drones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drones of that weight are very unlikely to cause any injury\nso they remain largely unregulated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recreational Drones\nvs. Commercial Drones<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The FAA considers recreational drones and commercial drones\nas two separate classes, and there are different rules outlined for the\noperation of each class.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Registering and\nFlying Recreational Drones<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Federal Aviation Administration has clear rules and\nguidelines for obtaining a license for your recreational drone and operating\nit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, if you plan on flying your recreational drone\nindoors, then you need not get a remote pilot\u2019s license and you need not even\nregister the drone with the FAA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, if you intend going outside to fly your\ndrone\u2014even on your own property\u2014then you will need to register it, if it weighs\nover 0.55 pounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So it is all up to you; if you don\u2019t want to go through the\nhassle of registering  your drone then\nyou only need to keep your drone operations indoors. If you do hunger for open\nskies, however, then you need to get your drone registered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, according to FAA rules, as a recreational drone pilot, you don\u2019t need to get a remote pilot license under the following circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You Don’t<\/em> Need to Register with the FAA if…<\/h4>\n\n\n\n