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FAA Admits Names & Addresses In Drone Registry Will Be Publicly Available (forbes.com)
Lauren Weinstein sends word about this admission by the FAA that has led many to have concerns about privacy. Forbes reports: "The FAA finally confirmed this afternoon that model aircraft registrants’ names and home addresses will be public. In an email message, the FAA stated: 'Until the drone registry system is modified, the FAA will not release names and address. When the drone registry system is modified to permit public searches of registration numbers, names and addresses will be revealed through those searches.'"
It is. I have a public data account that costs $2 a month that gives me access to that, and whole lot more.
Mike @ The Geek Pub. Let's Make Stuff!
Would you be OK with having your name and home address publicly searchable from your license plate?
So that anyone who sees your car can find out your name and where you live?
It already is. All DMV records are public data. Publicdata.com has all of them for $2 a month.
Mike @ The Geek Pub. Let's Make Stuff!
I can be searched on the FCC's pages.
I can be searched on the FAA's pages.
TL;DR version - it's your choice to exercise this privilege and that privilege includes the cost of registration.
I'm not an apologist for the government. I rail against things that cut into my rights.
However, I recognize the difference between my rights that cops who stop me want to violate, and
privileges I choose to exercise.
These certificates I hold (amateur radio operator and commercial pilot)
are not RIGHTS in the United States, but rather PRIVILEGES which I've chosen to attain.
In the process of CHOOSING to attain both those certifications I could have chosen not
to give out private information (and not get the certificate) or, as I did, choose to give it out
in return for the privilege of using the airwaves and flying in the air.
When you choose to drive a vehicle on private property in this country you are not required
to hold a driver's license, be of a certain age, acquire and maintain liability insurance, nor
even have your vehicle registered. HOWEVER to use that same vehicle and driver on the
public roads all the laws and registrations must be followed. (Don't get me started on how
this is abused by governments...)
The national airspace system (NAS) is one such resource. If you intend to fly in it, you
must do so in a manner which is legal. Until this year that meant "Have a good time and
stay out of trouble." As of tomorrow that also means "get a tail number [not an N-number]
for your UAS[not drone]."
If you have made the choice to continue flying your UAS then if you wish to do so as per
the law you must register it, display the tail number, and have your information available
at the FAA -- and probably subject to search.
Merry Christmas,
Ehud Gavron
N5NEQ
CPL-H (Commercial Pilot - Helicopter)
You're confusing "uncontrolled" with "under nobody's control."
Uncontrolled airspace (class G) means that it is not under ATC operations. See 14 CFR 91.126 (not 91.119 "Minimum safe altitudes").
Further note explicitly 91.126(a)
"Unless otherwise authorized or required, each person operating an aircraft on or in the vicinity of an airport in a Class G airspace area must comply with the requirements of this section." That's "must comply" not "optionally can choose to comply" or whatever. The use of this airspace is subject to FAA regulation and control.
The FAA and its regulations are in full control of flight above ground in these United States. Uncontrolled airspace is airspace without direct Air-Traffic-Control facility control, not "outside FAA regulations, purvey, domain, nor control."
That's from the ground up, not 400ft AGL, not 500ftAGL, not some small amount unless you lease them your airspace right of way...
I guess I'm just not used to the attitude of "we can pretend the FAA has no power and do what we want because it pisses us off we have to register our UASs". Ultimately if you don't want to abide by the laws, that's your right. Making up ideas of why the FAA has no jurisdiction is just as nutty as those Sovereign Citizen people claiming the IRS is a hoax and that money they print is real.
Res ipsa loquitur.
Ehud