It is anticipated that the U.S. Department of Transportation will announce a plan to require the registration of commercial drones. (Image: Nicolas Halftermeyer)
Anyone purchasing a commercial drone in the U.S. will soon be forced to register the UAV.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced today that anyone using a drone for recreational use must register the device, according to NBC News.
“There can be no accountability if the person breaking the rules can’t be identified,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx in a press conference.
To help ease the transition, a group of more than two dozen people will be formed to develop procedures for the national registry by Nov. 20. Offcials hope a program to enforce the registration will be put in place before the holiday season, when experts expect around 1 million drones to be sold.
The flight of commercial drones has caused a number of headaches as of late. In January, a commercial drone landed on the lawn of the White House, causing serious security concerns. Another issue concerning drones relates to various occurrences whereUAVs have been flown near wildfires, preventing firefighters and other emergency responders from doing their job. A third issue relates to the dangerous practice of flying commercial drones near airports.
In August, Foxx told CBS News that he supported a process requiring drones to be registered upon purchase Fox also told CBS News that the enforcement of registration at the time of purchase would make it easier for authorities to track down a drone operator if that person violates a FAA rule.
Filed Under: Aerospace + defense
