In Ireland, All RC and Drones Over 1kg To Be Registered (suasnews.com)

New submitter charliehotel writes: The Irish Aviation Authority announced that it will have its drone registry up and running by December 21st this year. This registry will be the first of its kind in Europe, and the Irish Aviation Authority will require all RPA / drones that weigh over 1kg to be registered; this includes model aircraft. I hope that the U.S.'s gathering storm of regulation doesn't start quite that small.

Comments

The US will start smaller

[Jay Maynard]

According to this story at AvWeb, the US registry will require registration of all drones over 250 grams.

At least it will be free and simple, according to the story.

Re:The US will start smaller

[goombah99]

that actually seems reasonable to me something over half a pound going 30 miles an hour could do some damage. Simply having to register heavier drones seems like threshold to encourage less hazards in the sky.,

Re:The US will start smaller

[Ol Olsoc]

that actually seems reasonable to me something over half a pound going 30 miles an hour could do some damage. Simply having to register heavier drones seems like threshold to encourage less hazards in the sky.,

Pfft This is just step on in taking our drones away from us. Soon the jack booted thugs will be busting into our houses at night to relive os of our rightful property.

Well, they can take my drone when they pry it out of my cold, dead fingers.

Jon the NDA today!

Re:The US will start smaller

[kbg]

Wait! Let me get this straight. If you own a 250 gram toy drone you need to register it because it could be dangerous?
But if you own an assault rifle with 100 round magazine you don't need to register it. Yes, only in America.

Re:The US will start smaller

[lister king of smeg]

Wait! Let me get this straight. If you own a 250 gram toy drone you need to register it because it could be dangerous?
But if you own an assault rifle with 100 round magazine you don't need to register it. Yes, only in America.

No all legal assault rifles owned by civilians are registered in the US and require a in depth background check by the FBI and a tax stamp, gun dealer licence, and large transfer fees. Assault rifles are full automatic (pull trigger bullets fly until you let go), what are unregistered is semi-automatic (one pull one bullet) and manual (pump action, lever action, etc), semi-automatic and manual require a background check and often a waiting period, unless you have a concealed carry permit in that state or dealer licence (in which cases you have already passed the background checks). The only firearms that do not require a background check at some stage are black powder firearms in most states.

Additionally we have a constitutional provision protecting right to own firearms. But we have no such constitutional protection for ownership of RC toys.

Re:The US will start smaller

[radarskiy]

You need a gun to shoot down unregistered drones.

US regulation?

[xxxJonBoyxxx]

>> Irish Aviation Authority announced that it will have its drone registry up and running by December 21st

In the US, this would take seven years and $15B to build. And then it still wouldn't work.

“The only thing that saves us from the bureaucracy is its inefficiency.”

Re:US regulation?

[Nidi62]

>> Irish Aviation Authority announced that it will have its drone registry up and running by December 21st

In the US, this would take seven years and $15B to build. And then it still wouldn't work.

Nope, but it will still have worked as intended. It will have funneled millions of dollars to contractors, guaranteed a bureaucrat or 2 a lucrative job after government life, and added a few more dollars to the reelection coffers of a few Congressmen.

Why?

[EzInKy]

How does it benefit you not to have regulations that prevent devices from buzzing about over your head? In my mind there should be no weight minimums. I simply do not want these things flying around without well enforced rules.

Re:Why?

[wonkey_monkey]

How does it benefit you not to have regulations that prevent devices from buzzing about over your head?

It benefits me because I like flying 'em.

Dead Wrong

[clifwlkr]

Actually, it is about having fun flying as well. Modern Phantom 3 devices can be flown FPV (First Person View), which opens up a whole new world compared to the old RC planes where you can only fly short distances. If flown safely in safe areas, there is little risk that these drones can cause. If any plane if flying below 400 feet over anywhere, they sure as heck better be extra cautious anyways, as there are all kinds of hazards there, of which the random drone is the least of their problems.

Also, there are people like me who use them more for the photographic and video opportunities. Not spying on people like some pervert. That is like saying we should register cameras cause some sickos use them to take spy pictures in bathrooms. That is the vast minority. Do you want to know what most of us do? Here is a great example and explain to me how I could ever catch this scenery any other way:
Drone Flight in Utah Desert
It is just like any hobby. There will be people who abuse it, and the vast majority of people who are just having fun. I am not that paranoid about people spying on me with drones to ban the entire hobby. The real point is registration will do nothing to stop it. People like myself already put their phone numbers on their planes so if lost, there is a chance they will come back to me. The people who are the problems will not do anything. More tax dollars to a solution to nothing.

Re:RESPONSIBILITY, or lack of, that is the real is

[tompaulco]

RC pilots were responsible. Planes and copters were safely flown in designated areas.
This legislation is only necessary because the day of the responsible RC pilot are now gone. Now we have irresponsible RC pilots (because they aren't drones, they are RC craft) who want to fly their toys around airports, in other people's yards, interfere with emergency operations, and any number of other intrusive and dangerous behaviors.
They believe that people in public (ie, their own backyard surrounded by a privacy fence) should have no privacy, but if you tell them they need to register their drone, then it is "But!, But! My PRIVACY!".