By Gary Miller
If your drone weighs more than half a pound, get ready to register it.
Simply put, toy drones weighing less than 250 grams (8.8 ounces) get a pass and everything heavier than that (up to 55 pounds) will, if this proposal becomes an actual law, have to register with the FAA. Registration numbers can be arbitrarily assigned by the registration system or drone owners can choose to use the serial number on their drone.
Tag it
The registration number must be on the drone. That’s why the drone’s serial number might be your best option. Otherwise, you can add it as a label somewhere on the drone. The task force will accept hidden areas like a battery compartment, as long as they remain accessible.
If you go flying, you’ll have to have the registration on you. That means you’ll want the document on your phone or as a printout in your back pocket.
The task force wants registration to be free. That’s why they don’t plan on mailing anyone a physical record of the drone registration. There is a chance, though, that FAA rules may require some minimal registration fee. In that case, the task force recommended $0.001.
Big kids only
Drone registrants have to be at least 13 years old. Since some of the drone flyers will be younger than that, a parent or guardian can complete the registration.
It’ll cost you
Flying without registration could result in a fine. Similarly, a registered drone found flying in restricted areas could also result in a fine. It’s unclear how — without registration — anyone would track down an errant drone’s owner.
Fines could be crazy
Since there’s no fine schedule for consumer drones, the FAA might have to rely on existing statutes that have fines exceeding $25,000. The task force is recommending the development of a “reasonable and proportionate penalty schedule that is distinct from those relating to traditional manned aviation.”
