Are you guys registering your Phantoms?

Porc · Dec 30, 2015

barefootbeachcombing said:
Please. Just stop.

Any kitchen scale will measure that. Or any postal scale (which you can use for free at the post office).

Or you can just use common sense. Wait ... never mind.

Some people need the drama, so if they don't have enough, they create some. There's other things about the FAA requirements and registration that I find disconcerting, but for some reason I never felt the need to complain about how one figures out if a drone is over .55lbs or not.

I have this rather annoying friend who is incapable of not making drama out of absolutely nothing. In the most recent exchange, he was sulking that he couldn't visit Canada because they require a passport now. Well, I'm like get a passport then. He's like, I can't get one. Sure you can. No I can't... I don't have the documents needed to qualify. Sure you do, everyone does... we are all born naked with no ID except a birth certificate, yet somehow we manage. No, I can't.... they need a driver's license and I don't drive. So, get a state-issued ID that looks like just a driver's license. No, can't do that, I'd have to get birth certificate. Well, get one, Einstein. But I don't know what town I was born in and I don't want to ask Mom. And... this absurd exchange went on for a while and he remained unconvinced it was possible to get a passport. Self-created drama... some people live for it.

Anyway... what was this topic about again?

Oh right... I did register yesterday, but not happily, and my doing so is not to be taken as an endorsement for force-based government solutions to problems I would prefer we find peaceful voluntary ways of solving.

Meta4 · Dec 30, 2015

cyberthingy said:
I don't own a scale that measures weights that small. Now I have to invest in a pot scale to determine if my toy drone must be registered?.

Google to find the specs and the weight then. It's not hard.

Skywalker · Dec 30, 2015

Go to a grocery store. Find a 5lb package of something (sugar, flour, etc.) If it's heavier than your drone, you're good. If it's close, sweet talk the butcher into a precise weigh-in.

fordruid · Dec 30, 2015

Skywalker said:
Go to a grocery store. Find a 5lb package of something (sugar, flour, etc.) If it's heavier than your drone, you're good. If it's close, sweet talk the butcher into a precise weigh-in.

.5 as in 1/2 lb

DroneDog · Dec 30, 2015

then get a half pound of coffee or tea from your favorite shop, or a half pound box of sugar. Look around, I'm sure you can find something thats 8 oz or 1/2 lb.

barefootbeachcombing · Dec 30, 2015

Two sticks of butter is the comparison that the FAA used.

Which spawned this ...

Drone Master · Dec 30, 2015

This is such an interesting thread! I will have to sit back and watch how it unfolds. Next!!!

Porc · Dec 30, 2015

Actually, did the FAA say that you must not register drones under .55 lbs? To be on the safe side, stick the FAA number on every drone, even those little quarter-sized drones. There is no need to weigh it at all, unless you suspect the drone may be over 55lbs, because then you have different rules come into play. You register yourself, not your drone, and you can register yourself even if you have no drone. If you just happen to stick a number on a drone weighing 5 grams and has a flight time of 10 seconds, I'm pretty sure no one's getting in trouble.

So, that is what I would do.... register, no matter what, even if you don't have a qualifying drone today, or any drone for that matter. Then, stick the number on anything that might be suspected of being a drone, even those little paper airplane kits at Brookstone where you can connect a tiny motor to a folded-up piece of paper.

Drone Master · Dec 30, 2015

Porc said:
Actually, did the FAA say that you must not register drones under .55 lbs? To be on the safe side, stick the FAA number on every drone, even those little quarter-sized drones. There is no need to weigh it at all, unless you suspect the drone may be over 55lbs, because then you have different rules come into play. You register yourself, not your drone, and you can register yourself even if you have no drone. If you just happen to stick a number on a drone weighing 5 grams and has a flight time of 10 seconds, I'm pretty sure no one's getting in trouble.

So, that is what I would do.... register, no matter what, even if you don't have a qualifying drone today, or any drone for that matter. Then, stick the number on anything that might be suspected of being a drone, even those little paper airplane kits at Brookstone where you can connect a tiny motor to a folded-up piece of paper.

Your hilarious!! Next!!!

GregWV · Dec 30, 2015

I am not sure about other manufacturers, but DJI lists the weight of each UAV in the SPECS section.

snerd · Dec 30, 2015

littlebob said:
Resisitance is how we won our freedom,it is the AMERICAN way

LOL! Dude, that was a VASTLY different America. Today, we couldn't drag their fat asses off the couch and away from their Twinkies, cell phones and American Idol long enough to even make it to a meeting discussing such things!!

cyberthingy · Dec 30, 2015

Porc said:
Some people need the drama, so if they don't have enough, they create some. There's other things about the FAA requirements and registration that I find disconcerting, but for some reason I never felt the need to complain about how one figures out if a drone is over .55lbs or not.

I have this rather annoying friend who is incapable of not making drama out of absolutely nothing. In the most recent exchange, he was sulking that he couldn't visit Canada because they require a passport now. Well, I'm like get a passport then. He's like, I can't get one. Sure you can. No I can't... I don't have the documents needed to qualify. Sure you do, everyone does... we are all born naked with no ID except a birth certificate, yet somehow we manage. No, I can't.... they need a driver's license and I don't drive. So, get a state-issued ID that looks like just a driver's license. No, can't do that, I'd have to get birth certificate. Well, get one, Einstein. But I don't know what town I was born in and I don't want to ask Mom. And... this absurd exchange went on for a while and he remained unconvinced it was possible to get a passport. Self-created drama... some people live for it.

Anyway... what was this topic about again?

Oh right... I did register yesterday, but not happily, and my doing so is not to be taken as an endorsement for force-based government solutions to problems I would prefer we find peaceful voluntary ways of solving.

I wasn't looking for drama. Just contributed a little sarcasm.To be honest I am stuck in the middle about registering. My first inclination is to comply because I am an honest person. I already have my name and phone number on my Phantoms. My real beef is with the ridiculous amount of our tax dollars being spent on a program that will do nothing to stop fools from being fools. I'm not yet convinced the FAA has the authority to regulate model aircraft and is yet another example of government overreach. As an AMA member I will follow their lead and hold off registering in the hopes that my AMA registration will suffice. I respect everyone who are complying with registration. I just choose to give it more time and see if common sense prevails. I have enjoyed reading everyone's views on the matter. Thanks for all your input.

dgd3 · Dec 31, 2015

This is one of the more I entertaining threads I've read in a while.
I'd never consider registering but I'll keep watching here for something that could change my mind.

pugwash · Dec 31, 2015

Hi
The website says for non residents the registration is a ownership number yet how many have US billing addressed credit cards? Already contacted help twice but not answered the questions just a standard reply about something not connected.
I will be here for 6 months so would like to fly.

John Archer · Jan 5, 2016

Bill S said:
Yes! I am FAA, DJI, AMA,HLS, TSA Pre, exUSN NFO and CA DMV. Now if I can just find which registration number to attach to what. HaHa! Piece of cake. (FAA took two seconds and asked for info that anyone could find on Google.) BTW, I tagged my P3p batteries as I understand from the forum that these things can't fly without a battery...at 100%! Happy New Year everyone.

Hey Bill, I'm assuming you read the AMA report stating we should wait to register with the FAA? Is this considered "damned if you do, damned if you don't?" I jumped right in the first day and signed up. I'm not really worried the Fed's will pay me a visit. (My life in general will bore them to tears). If they decide to keep my $5, big whoop. I don't see any real downside to registering. As I see it, we are covered which ever the wind blows.
Nifty thinking concerning your idea of tagging the batteries. Like you said, without batteries the Quads are just expensive paper weights. I plan on following your lead. Thanks for the tip!

dgd3 · Jan 5, 2016

Other than this forum how did you pilots in the states find out you had to register? From dealers?

regdawg · Jan 5, 2016

dgd3 said:
Other than this forum how did you pilots in the states find out you had to register? From dealers?

It was on the news

PhantomFun · Jan 6, 2016

I registered- mostly because I fear of becoming the guy who didn't and I end up with a fat fine (seems I have that type of luck at times). I'm hopeful that my new registration will be a nice topic of conversation in the event a passerby has anything negative to say about my "drone" spying on them.

It also dawned on me that if each registration is allowed 50 units, couldn't we have shared the registration # ...?

Mark.