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Get Your Drone Registered with FAA – FAA Drone Registration

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FAA Drone Registration

Here’s an important update for you all: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently not seeking any registration for Model Aircraft. You should keep in your minds that until now, the FAA has been regarding the Model Aircrafts and the hobbyist drones also known as the Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) as entirely different entities in the context of registration. We are expecting that soon enough we will be getting a registration template for Model Aircrafts as well. As it stands, we would still recommend you to get your drone registered with the authority following the information given below to stay on the safe side. As soon as we get more information on this matter, we will update our loyal readers at our earliest.

Also keep in mind that while the authority may not be demanding drones to get registered with them, but their rules and regulations are still intact. So, it does not mean that you can fly your drones even in No-Fly zones. Registration has stopped but the rules are still in place.

Now, let us get back to our actual topic of discussion. Legal aspects are not something that crosses the mind of a consumer as soon as he/she purchases a drone. Generally, a drone pilot will have things of following nature occupying his/her mind: the maximum altitude that can be attained by the machine; how long with the batteries last?; will it be able to capture the stunning images and videos that I have been vying for, for so long?; so on and so forth!

I am not sure how many of you would have cared about flying your drone legally having bought it just a day or two ago. As a matter of fact, there are not many drone owners out there in the United States who are aware of the fact that the FAA are the legal body in charge of ensuring that the drones are flown legitimately in the country. Once you come to know about this reality, the question that pops into the brains of all the dronies is whether they need to get their device registered with the FAA?

The answer to this question is more often than not, a simple Yes! In most of the cases, the drone owners have to get their drones registered with the Federal Aviation Administration.

Since, I am not looking to waste a lot of your time, so let’s just cut to the chase:

  • Are an American resident or intend to fly your drone in American airspace?
  • In addition to the payload, does your device weigh more than 0.55 pounds?

If the answer to both the questions is in affirmative, then you need to get your drone registered with the FAA. The registration will cost you just $5 and will be valid for 3 years.

Why get registered?

The FAA are especially concerned with all the devices that can be taken to the sky particularly because of the fact that they have the capability of causing harm to aircrafts in the airspace and human beings and properties down below on the ground. Moreover, we all know that drones can be utilized to invade one’s personal privacy or even threaten national security through their ability to capture aerial photographs and video footages of sensitive Government installations. In a nutshell, even if you are flying your drone in good faith but at a wrong location and a wrong time, you and your drone can prove to be of discomfort to the FAA and other law enforcement agencies. The FAA has formulated a registration process that will apprise the drone owners regarding drone safety measures to avoid any potential accidents.

Moreover, the FAA registration process is also about instilling a sense of responsibility among drone owners through transparency and accountability. I mean it becomes virtually impossible to detect who the pilot of a drone was if it is shot down in the grassy lawns of the White House which is definitely a no-fly zone. The FAA never wants to shot your drone down unless it is involved in some unscrupulous activities. The FAA registration number imprinted on your drone serves as the number plate of your car. Whether you like it or not, laws are laws!

How to get registered?

The registration process is just a piece of cake. You just ought to visit their website, if you are above 13 years of age and own a legal credit card, you can become a legal owner of your drone for the next 3 years.

FAA Drone Registration

I want to fly but have business in mind!

Hey, wait a minute! You cannot simply fly drone for business purposes straight away. You might get offended by it but you will have to get an additional license if you want to fly your drone and get paid for the services you render through it. It is actually based on the same premise that if you want to drive a car for your own-self, you get a normal license but if you want to drive your car commercially, you will have to acquire a special license.

With regard to drones, it is called the Remote Pilot Certificate that comes with a sUAS rating and is called as the Part 107.

We intend to delve into more detail with regard to Part 107 in the future. But to keep things short for now, remember that you will have to undergo some training and clear an examination to get hold of that license.

Off you go!

I hope you will have gained some insight into the subject through this post. To wrap it up, you will have to get your drone registered with FAA if you want to fly outside in the US airspace.