The federal government will soon require people with certain-sized drones to register them with the federal government, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced on Monday.
“Earlier this morning, we announced a rulemaking that will create a simple and easy online registration process for owners of small unmanned aircraft weighing between 0.55 pounds and 55 pounds,” Foxx wrote in a blog post. “Under this new rule, anyone who bought a small unmanned aircraft before December 21 of this year must register by February 19, 2016. Those who purchase their aircraft after December 21, must register it before their first outdoor flight.”
The registration fee will be set at $5, but the fee will be waived for those who register in the first 30 days.
The new rule is the result of a federal law requiring drone registration effective Dec. 21. Those who failed to register could face a civil fine of up to $27,500, with criminal charges costing up to $250,000 and three years in prison.
Foxx said the registration of drones with the federal government is needed to ensure the safety of passenger airlines.
“It just so happens that the $5 fee for registering an unmanned aircraft is the same amount we charge for registering a Cessna 172 or a Boeing 787,” Foxx said. “I prefer to think of this similarity as another message to UAS owners: the device you’ve purchased is more than a toy — it’s an aircraft, and it must be flown with the same respect to safety as any other aircraft operating in our national airspace system.”
The announcement follows a spate of recent headlines that seem to suggest drone operators have been wreaking havoc around the globe. A Dec. 1 accident in Andover, Mass. saw a drone crash into a group of joggers, injuring two, while an accident late last month resulted in an 18-month-old child in Worcestershire, England losing an eye after after an amateur drone operator lost control of his device.
Foxx said the new registration system “will also help us connect an aircraft with its operator in cases where folks aren’t following the rules,” calling it an “important step forward in our safety enforcement capability as well.”
“We’re excited to bring these new pilots into the culture of safety and responsibility that defines American aviation,” Foxx added.
