Drones may have to be registered with the US government

[Shawn Knight]

The US Department of Transportation has announced plans to put together a task force entrusted with creating a registration process that certain drone operators will be required to adhere to.

US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Michael Huerta said the task force will be led by as many as 30 representatives from the unmanned aircraft systems and manned aviation industries as well as individuals from the federal government.

Specifically, the task force will advise the department on which drones should be registered. Additionally, they’ll explore options to streamline the registration process for commercial unmanned aircraft operators.

Foxx said registering unmanned aircraft will help build a culture of accountability and responsibility, especially among newcomers that have zero experience operating in the US aviation system. Above all, the aim is to protect public safety both in the air and on the ground.

The registration process is no doubt in response to a growing list of near misses between commercial aircraft and unmanned drones. In California alone, there are nearly 200 documented reports of such encounters. Fortunately, none of the incidents have resulted in a collision or worse, injury.

Activity around airports isn’t the only reason for concern as the FAA said it has fielded complains regarding drones at major sporting events and interfering with firefighters.

The group is expected to have its report ready by November 20.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/62478-drones-may-have-registered-us-government.html

 

[GreenArrow]

I know a lot of people will disagree with this, but I completely understand why this is needed.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

I can't say I disagree with it at all and I hope it's adopted as a worldwide standard. If drones are used commercially then all pilots must be fully certified and licenced. Can you imagine the consequences if a recreational drone brings down a fully laden Airbus A380 near an airport or over a city. These things have to be properly controlled and monitored.

 

[mctommy]

It's a tale of the few ruining it for everyone else. With that said, this should be implemented.

 

[RustyTech]

Can you imagine the consequences if a recreational drone brings down a fully laden Airbus A380 near an airport or over a city. These things have to be properly controlled and monitored.

Even if a drone got sucked into the turbine, nothing would happen. There's no need for hysteria.

 

[AvalonMD]

Can you imagine the consequences if a recreational drone brings down a fully laden Airbus A380 near an airport or over a city. These things have to be properly controlled and monitored.

Even if a drone got sucked into the turbine, nothing would happen. There's no need for hysteria.

Well, if you consider a multi-million Dollar turbine jet engine "nothing", or emergency procedures to land the aircraft, then yes it is nothing.

 

[deemon]

And why would I register any drones with the US government? Since when they are global government? Oh wait they have NSA who is omnipotent and doesn't know anything about laws and borders - but then the question arises, why they ask for registration in the first place when they already know?

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Even if a drone got sucked into the turbine, nothing would happen. There's no need for hysteria.

Oh yeah? Did you know that birds have brought down passenger jet liners on more than a few occasions and in one instance a single solitary snow goose accomplished it.

 

[Dyson Parkes]

Even if a drone got sucked into the turbine, nothing would happen. There's no need for hysteria.

Oh yeah? Did you know that birds have brought down passenger jet liners on more than a few occasions and in one instance a single solitary snow goose accomplished it.

It's a common enough occurrence that there's a name for it - "bird strike". It makes one heck of a mess when something manages to get through the stream of pressurised air around the aircraft.
Do a quick Google Image search for it - some of the images are surprising.

 

[cliffordcooley]

Yep just like everyone is guilty until proven innocent.

 

[Uncle Al]

Hearing all the controversy I can certainly understand the governments position; still at the same time I don't see why they couldn't start with registration of all commercial vehicles and vehicles able to have a sustained flight of 30 minutes or more, then make further adjustments as the effect is measured. This all-in-one approach just seems too much, too quickly.

So, are they now going to consider ALL radio controlled aircraft to be the same as drone's?

 

[Bubbajim]

What?! A committee forms and they publish something in a month?! In Britain that takes about three years.

 

[cliffordcooley]

It's all bullshit and simply gives them something else to tax. Registration will do nothing to stop or even monitor those who need to be watched. Just like gun registration, it is pointless.

 

[lripplinger]

I want to know if some drone hovers 200ft over my property, can I blast it out of the sky if it just hovers there and is violating my privacy. I think drones do need to be handled properly. Will registration do anything? Doubtful.

 

[Hexic]

Can you imagine the consequences if a recreational drone brings down a fully laden Airbus A380 near an airport or over a city. These things have to be properly controlled and monitored.

Even if a drone got sucked into the turbine, nothing would happen. There's no need for hysteria.

..really?

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

..really?

Let the people play with their drones uncontrolled in close proximity to an airport, what could possibly go wrong? As Rusty says, there no need for hysteria.

 

[cliffordcooley]

Managing no-fly zones is irrelevant to registration.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Hearing all the controversy I can certainly understand the governments position; still at the same time I don't see why they couldn't start with registration of all commercial vehicles and vehicles able to have a sustained flight of 30 minutes or more, then make further adjustments as the effect is measured. This all-in-one approach just seems too much, too quickly.

So, are they now going to consider ALL radio controlled aircraft to be the same as drone's?

I doubt it. Radio controlled aircraft have been in use since WW2 and make use of certain AM/FM radio frequencies. Hobbyists congregate at their dedicated airfields which all tend to be out of the way from populated areas and there can only be a certain amount of aircraft in the sky at any one time due to the limited radio frequencies, Apart from the Choppers, the fixed wing aircraft need runways to land and take off. I never heard of anyone playing with their R/C models in their backyards unlike drone owners.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Managing no-fly zones is irrelevant to registration.

Air space is government/municipal/county/whatever controlled. Like your vehicle which has to licenced annually to operate on the roads, so should drones.

 

[cliffordcooley]

Like your vehicle which has to licenced annually to operate on the roads, so should drones.

Just so we are clear on my opinion, no a vehicle doesn't have to be licensed. The only reason you have to license a vehicle is for them to collect fees. It has nothing to do with regulations.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Just so we are clear on my opinion, no a vehicle doesn't have to be licensed. The only reason you have to license a vehicle is for them to collect fees. It has nothing to do with regulations.

OK. different countries work differently but the goal is the same, to make money. It's human nature afterall. If the authorities can monetize on drones, why not?

 

[davislane1]

Can you imagine the consequences if a recreational drone brings down a fully laden Airbus A380 near an airport or over a city. These things have to be properly controlled and monitored.

Even if a drone got sucked into the turbine, nothing would happen. There's no need for hysteria.

Wrong. A drone getting sucked into a turbine can cause said turbine to shred itself. This can happen with something as insignificant as a small bolt finding its way into the engine. This is why pilots always inspect the engines for debris prior to flights.

 

[RustyTech]

Let the people play with their drones uncontrolled in close proximity to an airport, what could possibly go wrong? As Rusty says, there no need for hysteria.

Yep! I was being sarcastic

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

Wrong. A drone getting sucked into a turbine can cause said turbine to shred itself. This can happen with something as insignificant as a small bolt finding its way into the engine. This is why pilots always inspect the engines for debris prior to flights.

Well the pilots don't actually do it themselves, although it's mandated by a lot of airlines, they leave that to the ground crew.
In the 15 years I was stationed at JHB Int. Airport that's how things were done, they could've changed it now.

 

[davislane1]

Well the pilots don't actually do it themselves, although it's mandated by a lot of airlines, they leave that to the ground crew.
In the 15 years I was stationed at JHB Int. Airport that's how things were done, they could've changed it now.

GCs do it and then the pilots do it. Such was the procedure my father described to me while he was flying commercial jets. As he put it, "sometimes [the ground crews] miss things." Same story when flying cargo, as missing something there can drop an aircraft like a stone.