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Drone Registration Is FAA's Way of Getting You To Read Their "EULA" (hackaday.com)
szczys writes: There is little to complain about when it comes to the new FAA rules regarding drones (unless perhaps you live in DC). The regulations are basically an End User Licensing Agreement and focus on educating responsible operators. Eight simple rules cover how to avoid doing dangerous things with Unmanned Aerial Systems. The FAA has even left alone the small toy drones, and the certification system for those above 55 lbs remains. The one aspect that is concerning is that of privacy; the drone database will be publicly searchable and contains names and addresses of drone owners. If the DMV keeps license plate data protected, the FAA should do the same.
Aircraft registrations are publicly available. In my country I can download an Access database with every aircraft in the country in it. They seem to have just taken the same rules that apply to aircraft registrations for drones. If this is to be different for drones, new legislation or regulations will be required.
And with good reason. Isn't the whole point of the registry to be able to contact the owner of a wayward quadcopter and hold them responsible for whatever has caused it to be in your possession.
j'ai découvert une démonstration vraiment admirable (de ce théorème général) que cette si
FTFA:
It is completely reasonable to conclude that since the FCC database is capable of reverse lookup (rather than by callsign only), the FAA database will do the same. It also reasonable to conclude that as of now, there are far more ham radio operators than drone operators.
I'm not making a case for or against this. I'm just pointing out a federal system in place which already has this.
Beware of the Leopard.
There is little to complain about...
Other than the fact that the FAA is closing down model airplane clubs in the absence of any actual regulation being in place, and is threatening people with tens of thousands of dollars in fines for not registering a 9-ounce toy airplane despite the fact that the 2012 FMRA law prohibits the FAA from doing exactly what it just did. Just another example of the executive branch deliberately ignoring laws they don't like. Again.
There's plenty to complain about.
Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
The FAA is a federal agency. Aren't all federal databases open and online? Airplane registrations are; radio licenses are.
Well, one difference is that radios and airplanes don't tend to be owned by kids. So lets say your kid is a popular Youtuber or Viner. Your phone number is unlisted, so various viewers including pedophiles and whatnot cannot easily find him/her based on name. Now your kid flies his drone in a video. All of a sudden, several of his/her "fans" look up his/her name and street address in the federal database. Most likely no one will show up at your doorstep, but it takes only one crazy stalker. There are serious privacy and safety implications here.
Given that a vast majority of rapes are comitted by a family member or someone he knows, what have you done to stop the kid's uncle? What protections are in place to stop his mother from violently violating him? How are you restraining his best friend whose only desire and purpose in life is to insert himself into the boy's rear? If you think about those, you'd say it's silly, but there's an 82% chance this would happen and not some stranger. I really don't get this irrational paranora, since people never look at the facts involved, nor the exceedingly low chance it's some random stranger...
However, that being said, some precautions are prudent. Some you register yourself in his place, and their you go. Although, you probably don't mind handing out your phone number, and with that they can easily find out your name and street address......
"Set a man a fire, he'll be warm for the rest of the night. Set a man afire, he'll be warm for the rest of his life."
"Other than the fact that the FAA is closing down model airplane clubs..."
The FAA is not closing down any model airplane clubs nor any other clubs.
"...in the absence of any actual regulation being in place,"
Yes, there are regulations now in place.
"...and is threatening people with tens of thousands of dollars in fines for not registering"
No, they are not threatening people with fines of tens of thousands of dollars, and they're not
threatening them for not registering. They are saying if you fly your UAS outside of regulations
you are subject to fines. That's not about "registration" as much as it is about "regulation."
"...a 9-ounce toy airplane despite the fact that the 2012 FMRA law prohibits the FAA from doing exactly what it just did. Just another example of the executive branch deliberately ignoring laws they don't like. Again. "
Adding the word "Again" to a nonsense statement doesn't imply anyone did anything wrong, only that your temper tantrum went on twice as long.
If you have reason to believe it's unlawful, by all means challenge it. That doesn't mean cry your eyes out on facebook or slashdot. It means file suit. If that's too hard for you and you'd rather someone else does it, that's fine too, just stop crying and wait for the adults to handle the situation.
The FAA has passed regulations and that's life. You don't like and the tears are flowing and that's life. If you think they are in the wrong and don't have the right to do that then... first you should read up on the last two times they tried and how they got shot down and how they changed their method so now they have their ducks in a row... then dry your eyes... reapply your mascara... and challenge the FAA.
There is no law or FAA regulation requiring model aircraft to fly below 400 feet. If you accept the FAA's definition of model aircraft being aircraft as defined by the statutes and regulations, the regulation actually says that except for helicopters and except for takeoff and landing approaches, aircraft must stay ABOVE 500 feet. The 400-foot rule is an asspull published in an advisory circular (advisory meaning it does not set any rules). If you do not accept the FAA's definition of model aircraft being aircraft as defined by the statutes and regulations, the FAA has no authority to regulate model aircraft in the first place.
Once again, reflects only guidance published in an advisory document.
These are published in NOTAMs -- notices to airmen. Model aircraft operators are not airmen (unless they have airman's certificates for full-scale flight). Note that if model aircraft are "aircraft", the regs make it illegal to fly one without such a certificate, so registration will not make you legal.
Probably a good idea, but another asspull. If model aircraft are "aircraft", flying over people is normal and expected.
NOTAMs are often issued for sports events, so this one can be fitted into a consistent intepretation.
Same thing concerning NOTAMS.
Not sure why it's any safer to fly near aircraft when you're not near an airport. Note that if the FAA interpretation is correct, a model airport (including a piece of ground you land your heli or quad) is an airport. And that this would prohibit flying in proximity to other model aircraft (because model aircraft are aircraft, right?)
This one can be read consistently.
Your kid is most likely to get abducted by a family member or friend, and he already knows your address.
And do you think the proverbial "crazy stalker" can't see your kid playing in front of the house or coming home from school? Do you think the crazy stalker can't see the license plate on your wife's mini-van and get your address?
Your address is in big numbers on the front of your house. When did it become "private information". You can't live your life in a bubble and you shouldn't raise your kid like a veal.
You are welcome on my lawn.
Uh, maybe go talk to the little shit's parents, otherwise known as your neighbors. Are we really so afraid of each other that we can no longer talk to our neighbors?
I am a certificated pilot, and I am an aircraft owner. My name, address, certificate status, medical status, aircraft registration, and aircraft registration status are all available in a publically searchable FAA database. I this is requried of me to be a user of the national airspace system, why should drone operators be exempt?
>And with good reason. Isn't the whole point of the registry to be able to contact the owner of a wayward quadcopter and hold them responsible for whatever has caused it to be in your possession.
Yes, but not directly. If somebody knocks out your mailbox with their car, you take down that license plate number, and give it to the police, who then run the plates and get a warrant. You can't directly get the name of who owns that license plate number and show up at the dude's door, and nor should you.
If somebody did something illegal that caused you to be in possession of their wayward quadcopter, then you can call the police and report it. Then let them figure out who the owner is. That prevents you from harassing a guy who was doing something perfectly legal that you think ought to be illegal.
... it is yet another example of Federal overreach into jurisdictions the Constitution simply does not allow.
Never mind any Constitutional issues, Congress passed the Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, a set of legal directives in Federal law to the FAA, which state in part;
"The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration may not promulgate any rule or regulation regarding a model aircraft, or an aircraft being developed as a model aircraft."
Therefor this drone registration program is in direct violation of Federal law.
Until the law is changed or abolished by an act of Congress the FAA can go pound sand.
Strat
Progressivism (aka US 'Liberalism'): Ideas so good they need a police/surveillance-state to enforce.