The US Department of Transportation and the FAA held a press conference detailing their plan to register drone pilots by the end of 2016. Pulling together a task force made up of different organizations determining this strategy, the DoT plans to use the national registration to better enforce airspace regulations.
“Registration will reinforce the need for unmanned aircraft users, including consumers and hobbyists, to operate their drones safely,” so began US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx while surrounded by representatives of The Association For Unmanned Vehicles Systems International, The Academy of Model Aeronautics and The Airline Pilots Association International, among others. Secretary Foxx continued, “It’s really hard to follow rules if you don’t know what the rules are or that the rules apply to you. In so registration gives operators the opportunity to learn the airspace rules before they fly and enjoy their devices safely.” While the December deadline for putting this law in effect might seem awfully close, Secretary Foxx asserted “we are looking carefully at the regulatory process but we do feel the level of urgency here is sufficient to move as quickly as we possibly can.”
Photo courtesy ofS.Department of Transportation |
The potential for violating airspace laws has always existed for drone pilots. Only last May, a man was arrested for flying his device less than a block away from the White House. Part of the issue involves hobbyists who are not educated enough on fly zone restrictions, which is something that could be rectified by a registration process. In addition, a mobile app will be made available to geo map forbidden airspace. Retail outlets may also be required to pass out government approved reading material upon the purchase of a drone. Which is all fine and good. But what is not clear is how the government will discourage those who already own drones. As in: what incentive will exist to pressure those users into registering and how will that be enforced?
FAA Administrator Michael Huerta had this to offer, “It’s a partnership with the FAA which sets the regulatory framework working with our law enforcement partners.” So should you be flying your brand new DJI Phantom 3, be wary of nearby police officers who may take you aside and insist on seeing your registration paperwork.
Up until recently, model aircraft pilots had simply been advised to not fly their devices above 400 ft. This is because model airplane use did not fall under the jurisdiction of the FAA Modernization And Reform Act of 2012. Or rather, it has been open for interpretation as to what “model use” actually is given as this is not included within the category made up of unmanned aerial systems that are used for military and sometimes commercial purposes. But there has been an increase in drone use among amateur photographers and videographers. First Person View videos (FPV for short), turn up on YouTube with more frequency than ever before. And considering the lengths (or heights, as it were) a drone pilot should want to go to capture that spectacular aerial footage, this particular use now falls outside of the “model” aircraft definition.
Can one assume that smaller, remote controlled toy helicopters and airplane models will not be susceptible to the new regulations? Maybe, maybe not. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
