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WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced a streamlined and user-friendly web-based aircraft registration process for owners of small unmanned aircraft (UAS) weighing more than 0.55 pounds (250 grams) and less than 55 pounds (approx. 25 kilograms) including payloads such as on-board cameras.
The Registration Task Force delivered recommendations to FAA Administrator Michael Huerta and Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx on November 21. The rule incorporates many of the task force recommendations.
“Make no mistake: unmanned aircraft enthusiast are aviators, and with that title comes a great deal of responsibility,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “Registration gives us an opportunity to work with these users to operate their unmanned aircraft safely. I’m excited to welcome these new aviators into the culture of safety and responsibility that defines American innovation.”
Registration is a statutory requirement that applies to all aircraft. Under this rule, any owner of a small UAS who has previously operated an unmanned aircraft exclusively as a model aircraft prior to December 21, 2015, must register no later than February 19, 2016. Owners of any other UAS purchased for use as a model aircraft after December 21, 2015 must register before the first flight outdoors.....
He who shall not be named here posted this on Facebook:
An open letter to the FAA regarding RC model regulation:
1. No.
2. Go fuck yourself.
3. Please, go ahead, try and enforce this, and see what happens.
4. Strongly worded communication to follow.
Pretty well sums up what's going to happen. Imagine home built drones and planes with NO markings buzzing FAA headquarters across the nation.
one can be a Democrat, or one can choose to be an American.
Good acting requires an imagination; reality requires a person not getting lost in their imagination.
"It's better to have a gun if you need it". Felix's opthamologist
RC model planes. . Now you have to register RC models heavier than 8 ounces.
I'm thinking of Oleg Volk's photograph with the caption, "They won't confiscate your deer rifle. They'll call it a dangerous sniper rifle first."
The use of the word "but" usually indicates that everything preceding it in a sentence is a lie.
E.g.:
"I believe in Freedom of Speech, but". . .
"I support the Second Amendment, but". . .
--Randy
This is a felony... Punishible by up to $250,000 in fines and 3 years in prison... For failing to register the toy your kid got for Christmas...
“I no longer need to run as a Presidential Candidate for the Socialist Party. The Democrat Party has adopted our platform.” - Norman Thomas, a six time candidate for president for the Socialist Party, 1944
Is there a requirement for it to be powered? Or non-RC? Does this mean that a balsa-wood, rubber band powered airplane would have to be registered if it was over .55lbs? A paper airplane? Lawn dart? Didn't see anything like that on first glance. This could get stupid.
But, thanks, FAA! You just helped a new generation become anti-registration. I bet that it bleeds over to guns, too.
I'm gritting my teeth here. The FAA has made a massive mistake in issuing a rule that will see wholesale non-compliance.
On the other hand, there are perfectly legitimate concerns. The off-the-shelf hardware that can be bought is growing in performance and weight. Increasing in capability. And is getting into the hands of people who are not terribly responsible. An R/C modeler who built his own airplane tends to operate sensibly. Timmy Teenybopper who got a "dwone" for Christmas? Not so much. He'll plow the thing into someone's house or car...or worse, get something that has the performance to operate in an airfield operating pattern. I've lived the last twenty years in the pattern of a general aviation airfield, am a GA pilot, and the thought of some twit operating his toy in the national airspace scares me silly.