FAA Drone Registry: Register your Drone – It’s the law!
Have you familiarized yourself with the FAA drone registry? If not, then this must have drone accessory is not a choice, but a requirement!
Are you 13 years of age or older?
Are you a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident?
If you answered yes, then you must register your drone with the FAA. Even if you answered no, you must find someone who is over 13 and is a U.S. citizen to register your drone for you. Effective 12/21/2015, you are required by federal law to register your drone, quadcopter, uav, etc. If it flies, and weighs over 0.55 lbs, it must be registered!
Note, however, that this applies to drones that weigh more than 0.55 lbs, but less than 55 lbs. If your drone, or other unmanned aircraft, weighs more than 55 lbs., then you must register as an aircraft using the Aircraft Registry process.
Check out this FAA Drone Registry Tutorial by DroneDude on YouTube:
How to register your drone with the FAA:
Where do I go to register my drone?
Go to the FAA Drone Registry: registermyuas.faa.gov
What do I need to register my drone?
$5
An e-mail address
A Credit or Debit Card
Physical Mailing Address
What will I get after registering my drone?
A registration number valid for three years, good for all of your drones.
What do I do with the FAA drone registration number?
Mark the registration number on your drone using one of the following methods:
Engraving
Permanent Label
Permanent Marker
What else should I know about my FAA drone registry number?
The number MUST be visible. However, it is ok to add it to the battery compartment if it can be opened without tools
The number is good for more than one drone which means you can use the same number for multiple drones that you own.
Why do I need to register my drone anyway?
For starters, it’s a federal law, but the real reason boils down to safety. Do to obvious reasons, your drone should be traceable back to you if you use it to break the law, if you lose it and would like to have it returned, or if you care at all about the future of this hobby/sport. Just like cars on the road need registration, so too do devices that can now fly for miles in potentially any direction. There is still a lot of debate on this topic
When do I need to register my drone?
By law, your drone must be registered before you fly it outdoors. With that in mind, if you plan on purchasing a drone for yourself, or as a gift, I recommend getting your registration done ASAP.
How long does drone registration take with the FAA?
You can register your drone in just a few minutes. For an overview of the registration process, watch the video posted on this page.
What happens if I don’t register my drone with the FAA?
According to the FAA, failure to register your drone can lead to civil penalties up to $27,00 and criminal penalties of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment for up to three years! I don’t know about you, but that’s enough to deter me from flying without proper registration.
If you’re interested in more about the FAA Drone Registry, check out this video by PhotoFocus:
If you haven’t already done so, click here to register your drone with the FAA.
