FAA publishes updates about UAS registration

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently published updates from the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Registration Task Force Aviation Rulemaking Committee about registration requirements for UAS devices.

The registration rules apply to all UAS, including those that are used as model aircrafts for hobbies or for commercial purposes.

There are already laws about when a person can fly an aircraft, which is defined as a mechanical device used to fly or navigate through the air. All UAS are considered to be included in this definition.

As of Saturday, all UAS operators must register their devices with the FAA. The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has published a document entitled “The Clarification of the Applicability of Aircraft Registration Requirements for Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Request for Information Regarding Electronic Registration for UAS." 

The purpose of these ongoing discussions is to clarify the requirements for registering UAS if the device is for hobby or recreation and to facilitate the work of the task force, which needs information from members of the public located throughout 10 regions.

Most recently, the task force has stated that it is not within its responsibilities to address the UAS registration requirement. Instead, the task force has chosen to create as well as recommend a specific registration process to keep UAS users accountable.