What is the purpose of the FAA registration number?

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What is the purpose of the FAA registration number? Does one have to carry the printable card in one's wallet? Does one have to write the number on the aircraft? Is there going to be a drone police checking registrations?
 
It's a way for the FAA to identify who owns a drone. You must somehow mark your registration number on all aircraft and either carry your certificate or have it readily available in an electronic format. You can read more about this on the FAA's FAQ.
 
So they can identify the person who flew their drone over a stadium and crashed etc etc. Identify people doing irresponsible things. And to collect a flying tax ($5). The government likes taxes.
 
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So they can identify the person who flew their drone over a stadium and crashed etc etc. Identify people doing irresponsible things. And to collect a flying tax ($5). The government likes taxes.
I'm going to become a drone cop as the fine for flying in restricted area will pay better than just a $5 tax :p
 
And to collect a flying tax ($5). The government likes taxes.

Believe it or not, I just got my $5 back - as promised. Ya could have knocked my over with a feather. The Fed actually kept their promise and refunded my money after I (GULP!) registered.
 
So they can identify the person who flew their drone over a stadium and crashed etc etc. Identify people doing irresponsible things. And to collect a flying tax ($5). The government likes taxes.


No there is no way a number could prove in any way shape or form who was flying the drone. Being the pilot is not who has to register and only the owner has to register. and they only way they could id any ones drone is if the drone crashed and was able to be recovered to even get the number off of it. and that still just says who owned it not who was flying it. and under the law they would need a lot more proof then just a record showing owner ship with out being able to also prove they were also the one flying it. and not only that if some thing bad happened they also would need to prove it was not by accident as well to be able to charge any one with being reckless they would have to be shown that they acted recklessly as well.

So say for instance that some one is flying totally responsible and in a place that's ok to fly but has a fly away and it goes some place its not supposed to be that is not reckless endangerment or any willful violation of the law. and one does not have to prove there innocence and in fact ones guilt must be proven under our laws and our legal system. The burden of proof is not on the defense and is all on the prosecution.


at best the reg number is just a tool that may help them track down the owner who could then point the cops to the right person if they let some one else fly there drone. Tho I see nothing in the law that says any one would be required to tell the cops who they lent there drone to if they did not want to answer any ? I know If my spouse was flying my drone I can not be compelled to testify against her if I did not want to nore could some one be punished for not helping screw there spouse over. Being even the law recognizes that I still got to sleep in the same bed or be in the dog house after.
 
No there is no way a number could prove in any way shape or form who was flying the drone

When you register, you are registering you as a pilot. They don't ask what you fly, and you aren't registering your aircraft.
 
When you register, you are registering you as a pilot. They don't ask what you fly, and you aren't registering your aircraft.

The FAA refers to registering Unmanned Aircraft Systems, or simply Unmanned Aircraft. There is no reference to registering as a pilot.
 
The FAA refers to registering Unmanned Aircraft Systems, or simply Unmanned Aircraft. There is no reference to registering as a pilot.
On the hobby user, it is registering the "user" or "operator", not the aircraft. You get a number that you put on all of your aircraft that meet the requirements to fly.
 
No there is no way a number could prove in any way shape or form who was flying the drone. Being the pilot is not who has to register and only the owner has to register. and they only way they could id any ones drone is if the drone crashed and was able to be recovered to even get the number off of it. and that still just says who owned it not who was flying it. and under the law they would need a lot more proof then just a record showing owner ship with out being able to also prove they were also the one flying it. and not only that if some thing bad happened they also would need to prove it was not by accident as well to be able to charge any one with being reckless they would have to be shown that they acted recklessly as well.

So say for instance that some one is flying totally responsible and in a place that's ok to fly but has a fly away and it goes some place its not supposed to be that is not reckless endangerment or any willful violation of the law. and one does not have to prove there innocence and in fact ones guilt must be proven under our laws and our legal system. The burden of proof is not on the defense and is all on the prosecution.


at best the reg number is just a tool that may help them track down the owner who could then point the cops to the right person if they let some one else fly there drone. Tho I see nothing in the law that says any one would be required to tell the cops who they lent there drone to if they did not want to answer any ? I know If my spouse was flying my drone I can not be compelled to testify against her if I did not want to nore could some one be punished for not helping screw there spouse over. Being even the law recognizes that I still got to sleep in the same bed or be in the dog house after.

It's true there is generally a spousal testimonial privilege that exempts spouses from having to testify against each other regarding confidential communications. As with anything regarding legal principles, however, it's not as simple as it sounds. There is also, on the other hand, something called the dangerous instrumentality doctrine, which holds the owner of a "dangerous instrumentality," such as a car, liable for the negligence of another person who was allowed by the owner to use it. This could be applied to drones. In fact, I predict it will be so applied sooner or later. And your exemption to testify will not be necessarily determinative. The prosecution's burden of proof does not require direct testimony from a witness, whether a spouse or someone else. It's based on the totality of the circumstances and the specific fact pattern of the case.
 
On the hobby user, it is registering the "user" or "operator", not the aircraft. You get a number that you put on all of your aircraft that meet the requirements to fly.

As I said above, the FAA refers to registering Unmanned Aircraft Systems, or simply Unmanned Aircraft. There is no reference to registering as a "user" or "operator." Admittedly, it's confusing to do that while allowing a single number to be applied to multiple aircraft. The effect, as you suggest, is to register the person, not the machine.
 
As I said above, the FAA refers to registering Unmanned Aircraft Systems, or simply Unmanned Aircraft. There is no reference to registering as a "user" or "operator." Admittedly, it's confusing to do that while allowing a single number to be applied to multiple aircraft. The effect, as you suggest, is to register the person, not the machine.
Okay, we'll go with "person". As you suggest, we are registering ourselves, not our UAV's.
 
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