Friend of a Friend Fined $1800 no registration on drone..i have questions

[gixxerbill]

Some neighbor turned him in. The aviation police from the airport came to his house and wanted to throw him in jail. This is where it gets foggy. My friend said he got the fine because he didn't have registration on drone. But I think it's because he wasn't registered period. Because the only way i found out about taping the number to your drone was from this site. I could not find it any where on the faa site that you have to tape the number to your drone.

Here are my questions. Do you have to put the faa number on your drone?
If yes, why isn't on their website instucting people to do it?

 

[msinger]

Do you have to put the faa number on your drone?

Yes. See more details here.

 

[gixxerbill]

Yes. See more details here.

thanks man but shouldn't the govt put that in more plain english all over the website especially on the certificate itself. It list other rules like don't fly above 400ft,never fly next to airports etc BUT NOT ONE WORD ABOUT PUTTING THE **** STICKER ON THE DRONE. NOT A WORD

 

[kevinm]

If yes, why isn't on their website instucting people to do it?

When I registered my drone I seem to remember them instructing a few times throughout the process to make sure you label your drone with the number.

Either way, sounds like an unfortunate incident for your friend. Hope he can get out of the fine.

 

[GregWV]

thanks man but shouldn't the govt put that in more plain english all over the website especially on the certificate itself. It list other rules like don't fly above 400ft,never fly next to airports etc BUT NOT ONE WORD ABOUT PUTTING THE **** STICKER ON THE DRONE. NOT A WORD

From the FAA page that singer referenced:

"Before you fly outside you must:

• Register your UAS if it weighs more than 0.55 pounds and less than 55 pounds
• Label your UAS with your registration number
• Read and understand all safety guidelines"

The second bullet seems pretty plan english to me.

Curious, what city, state and airport were the aviation police from?

 

[Slackware]

His big mistake was in talking to them, and letting them into his house.
"Come back with a warrant" then get on line and register while they are gone. They never saw the drone flying so can't claim you flew it before it was registered.

but time to look for new neighbors, or buy them out so you don't have them.

 

[Slackware]

You don't need a sticker, you can use a sharpie, or tape. does say it must be visible, or inside battery compartment.
That psychedelic die job with color blind numbers could be open to interpretation I guess. It is visible if you are not colorblind.

 

[Vzr1]

Is this only in the USA?

 

[GregWV]

You don't need a sticker, you can use a sharpie, or tape. does say it must be visible, or inside battery compartment.
That psychedelic die job with color blind numbers could be open to interpretation I guess. It is visible if you are not colorblind.

From the same FAA page referenced by msinger above is a link on how to label the UAS. Yes, it can be in the battery compartment.
https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/fly_for_fun/media/UAS_how_to_label_Infographic.pdf

 

[N017RW]

Some neighbor turned him in. The aviation police from the airport came to his house and wanted to throw him in jail. This is where it gets foggy. My friend said he got the fine because he didn't have registration on drone. But I think it's because he wasn't registered period. Because the only way i found out about taping the number to your drone was from this site. I could not find it any where on the faa site that you have to tape the number to your drone.

Here are my questions. Do you have to put the faa number on your drone?
If yes, why isn't on their website instucting people to do it?

Incredible, literally.

 

[Mr. Salty]

The second bullet seems pretty plan english to me.

Exactly. Somebody didn't make the least bit of effort to do their homework.

Something about this "friend of a friend" story seems fishy to me. How would the neighbors know whether the drone was registered? How did the "aviation police" (Is there such a thing? I don't think so.) get access to the drone to prove the friend of a friend even owned a drone, much less whether it had the registration on it?

"No, officer, I don't own a drone. Must be someone else in the neighborhood."

By the way, the OP had his questions in this thread answered in December when he had similar concerns back then: How Does the FAA know what drone I am flying?

 

[August]

Holy smokes. That a big *** fine. In any case please let us know the outcome of this event. I do not know anyone, besides people on this site, that are registered.

Sent from my SM-G935T using PhantomPilots mobile app

 

[N017RW]

Exactly. Somebody didn't make the least bit of effort to do their homework.

Something about this "friend of a friend" story seems fishy to me. How would the neighbors know whether the drone was registered? How did the "aviation police" (Is there such a thing? I don't think so.) get access to the drone to prove the friend of a friend even owned a drone, much less whether it had the registration on it?

"No, officer, I don't own a drone. Must be someone else in the neighborhood."

Yup, Incredible.

 

[Slackware]

Holy smokes. That a big *** fine. In any case please let us know the outcome of this event. I do not know anyone, besides people on this site, that are registered.

Sent from my SM-G935T using PhantomPilots mobile app

it's a big *ss greedy government. probably has tsa agents at courtroom door so you won't want to go in and fight it as well.
There is an angle, I have to frisk you as my living room is a restricted flying zone.

 

[Mr. Salty]

Holy smokes. That a big *** fine. In any case please let us know the outcome of this event. I do not know anyone, besides people on this site, that are registered.

The law allows for the fine to be as high as $27,500, so tell people with drones who aren't registered that the $5 fee is money well spent.

 

[astarofaz]

Is this only in the USA?

Yes it is a law in the USA. Can't speak for other countries though.

 

[THA]

Yup, Incredible.

\
I think this whole subject is pure internet BS. There is no aviation police and the only people that can enforce this is the FAA( you might call them the aviation police if you want to but they are not). In an enforcement action, the FAA will send a registered, certified USPS mail informing you of the charges. They do not come from the "airport" and visit you. There are only a few of these offices and most are not on airport property but in federal buildings.

I label this B.S.

 

[Mr. Salty]

it's a big *ss greedy government. probably has tsa agents at courtroom door so you won't want to go in and fight it as well.
There is an angle, I have to frisk you as my living room is a restricted flying zone.

If the government was being greedy the registration fee would be a hell of a lot more than $5 for three years worth of flying. In fact, the FAA probably loses money on the deal, considering administrative costs.

 

[Richard R]

Holy smokes. That a big *** fine. In any case please let us know the outcome of this event. I do not know anyone, besides people on this site, that are registered.

Sent from my SM-G935T using PhantomPilots mobile app

That's part of the problem, go to practically any store and you can buy a drone and the clerk that rings you up probably doesn't have a clue about any FAA regs (and couldn't care less) so nothing is said. Newbie takes his new toy out and starts zooming around and, probably, crashing into things and never knows about registering. DJI is so concerned about keeping phantom pilots out of NFZs, seems like they would do a better service just putting a notice in the package that many countries (might even include a list with webpages) reguire registration before flying.

 

[stubblefield]

It is my understanding that registration is for commercial flying only. Am I mistaken?


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