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If you own a drone, you must register it with the Federal Aviation Administration's Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) registry. A federal law effective December 21, 2015 requires unmanned aircraft registration, and you are subject to civil and criminal penalties if you do not register.

General

Q. What is the definition of a UAS? Is it different from a drone?
A. A UAS is an unmanned aircraft system. A drone and a UAS are the same for registration purposes.

Q: Does the FAA have the authority to require registration of UAS used by modelers and hobbyists?
A: Yes. By statute all aircraft are required to register. Congress has defined "aircraft" to include UAS, regardless of whether they are operated by modelers and hobbyists.

Q: What is the penalty for failing to register?
A: Failure to register an aircraft may result in regulatory and criminal sanctions. The FAA may assess civil penalties up to $27,500. Criminal penalties include fines of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment for up to three years.

Q: Will an operator be required to have proof of registration while operating the UAS?
A: Yes. You will be required to have your FAA registration certificate in your possession when operating your unmanned aircraft.

Q. Why do I need to register?
A. Federal law requires aircraft registration. Registration helps us ensure safety – for you, others on the ground, and manned aircraft. UAS pose new security and privacy challenges and must be traceable in the event of an incident. It will also help enable the return of your UAS should it be lost.

Q. Which unmanned aircraft may register under the new registration requirements?
A. Unmanned aircraft weighing less than 55 pounds and more than 0.55 pounds (250 grams) on takeoff, including everything that is on board or otherwise attached to the aircraft and operated outdoors in the national airspace system must register.

Q. Is there a weight limit on what requires registration?
A. All owners of small UAS weighing more than 250 grams (0.55 lbs.) and less than 55 lbs. must register using this new system

whm1974 wrote:

Just wondering if this law applied to those little toy RC drones that we give to kids.

All owners of small UAS weighing more than 250 grams (0.55 lbs.) and less than 55 lbs. must register using this new system

whm1974 wrote:

Just wondering if this law applied to those little toy RC drones that we give to kids.

whm1974 wrote:

That's good then. There would be a huge backlash if the FAA went after kids for flying little toys.

Q. Is there a weight limit on what requires registration?
A. All owners of small UAS weighing more than 250 grams (0.55 lbs.) and less than 55 lbs. must register using this new system

Hance wrote:

The registration is easy for now, what comes down the road when the FAA sees their rules did zero will be seen at a later time.

Basically anything that flies and is over 8.8 ounces will have to be registered. The toy grade stuff like can be purchased at WalMart for the most part will be below the limit.

Chrispy_ wrote:

Seems utterly unenforceable, and therefore a complete waste of everyone's time
(written from a country without stupid drone legislation)

DrCR wrote:

I've been completely out of radio control hobbies for a very long time at this point, but I wonder if that 55lbs. upper-end limit will boost activity in the giant scale RC sector, depending on how annoying/inconvenient/et al. the registration criteria is.

The Egg wrote:

I just don't see how it benefits law enforcement in any way. Lets say for instance, UAV #12345 lands on the White House lawn, or interferes with airport traffic. Unless they have a method of tying UAV #12345 to user John A Smith, they're still in exactly the same boat. I suppose they could go door-to-door interrogating every registered user in a 5 mile radius, but unless they get a confession it's not going to do much besides piss people off.

Also keep in mind that in order to say a specific device is equal to "UAV #12345" would require a national UAV registry of serial numbers, which would be even more laughable, since any modestly technical person can build them using common materials, and you'd have a cluster#$%* of people trying to add custom devices (and this is just those attempting to follow the law).

kvndoom wrote:

In time, drones will be registered at time of purchase, like guns. This thread is gonna go R&P anyway, so I just went ahead and said what some were thinking anyway.