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U.S. Will Require Drones to Be Registered

nbcnews.com

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Re: U.S. Will Require Drones to Be Registered

#101

Post by tzs »

barefoot wrote: post #5

In case anyone is reading from NBC, would you mind using the term "UAV" or "RPA" over "drone"? When we throw around the word "drone" here on reddit and hacker news I feel like it's okay because many of us know the key differences between what we're flying and the hellfire raining completely terrifying semi-automated flying death machines deployed in war-zones around the world. However, many people who read your artic…

The manufacturers are widely using the term "drone". Examples:

http://www.parrot.com/usa/

http://axisdrones.com

http://www.dji.com

http://www.bladehelis.com/Drones/

http://store.3drobotics.com/t/drones

I don't think you have much chance of getting the press to use a different term if the manufacturers aren't on board.

Re: U.S. Will Require Drones to Be Registered

#103

Post by elpool2 »

lqdc13 wrote: post #31
mindcrime wrote: post #23

This has to be one of the stupidest ideas I've ever heard in my life. Not because it doesn't possibly have some noble intent behind it, but - if for no other reason - because it's going to be bloody impossible to enforce. When any hobbyist can easily build a drone/UAV without much in the way of special skills or equipment, how in the hell do they ever expect they'll get everybody to register them?

They can simply fine people who do not have the documents with them. Like a police officer would come up to a drone pilot and ask for documents. You can build a bicycle much more easily than a drone and many counties and some countries require people to register their bicycles.

Do the police usually have the capability to track down who is operating a drone though?

Re: U.S. Will Require Drones to Be Registered

#104

Post by venomsnake »

swingbridge wrote: post #71
neurotech1 wrote: post #34

One thing about the RPV/Quadcopter debate that is rarely mentioned is the reason why they don't use ADS-B transponders. The FAA requires ADS-B trasponders to have high accuracy GPS, and that pushes the cost to over $2,000 per device. It would be logical for the FAA to relax the GPS requirement slightly, so a cheap GPS module is sufficient to alert nearby aircraft of RPV activity over a certain altitude (eg. 200ft AGL…

Interesting idea although there are a lot of technical issues that would make what you describe more challenging. A simpler approach is positive enforcement. Force manufacturers to hard code drones to not fly near airports or other restricted areas and not fly above 200 ft. Model aircraft have existed for a long time and there's been a good relationship with the FAA and few incidents. The challenge is that technology…

> Force manufacturers to hard code drones to not fly near airports or other restricted areas and not fly above 200 ft.

A drone is one of the few things that can be smuggled by themselves. Both US-Mexico and US-Canada borders are wide.

Re: U.S. Will Require Drones to Be Registered

#105

Post by threeseed »

swingbridge wrote: post #71
neurotech1 wrote: post #34

One thing about the RPV/Quadcopter debate that is rarely mentioned is the reason why they don't use ADS-B transponders. The FAA requires ADS-B trasponders to have high accuracy GPS, and that pushes the cost to over $2,000 per device. It would be logical for the FAA to relax the GPS requirement slightly, so a cheap GPS module is sufficient to alert nearby aircraft of RPV activity over a certain altitude (eg. 200ft AGL…

Interesting idea although there are a lot of technical issues that would make what you describe more challenging. A simpler approach is positive enforcement. Force manufacturers to hard code drones to not fly near airports or other restricted areas and not fly above 200 ft. Model aircraft have existed for a long time and there's been a good relationship with the FAA and few incidents. The challenge is that technology…

And if they add new airports or classified areas ?

It also doesn't solve the problem of drones being active near emergency situations.

Re: U.S. Will Require Drones to Be Registered

#106

Post by chillacy »

guelo wrote: post #86
narrator wrote: post #61

All the big consumer drone makers are in China. I love how all sorts of unregulated surprisingly powerful tech comes out of China. The last mischief they engaged in was way too powerful lasers. They just don't have the fear of science in that country like we have in America.

It's all invented here.

That's been less true in recent times. Nowadays the factories have moved up in the design chain towards remixing their own designs. There's also more than one hardware startup accelerator that flys founders to shenzen since it's so much more efficient to work locally.

And regarding this meta commentary of thinking that China as merely the assemblers of american inventors, remember that this was thought of Japan and korea in the 70s and 80s, which now produce some good quality cars and TVs, respectively. I wonder if engineers at GM or Zenith (last great american TV brand) scoffed and thought the same in 1980.

Re: U.S. Will Require Drones to Be Registered

#107

Post by threeseed »

saulrh wrote: post #33
objclxt wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Somehow I have a feeling commercial aircraft, military aircraft, and rocket launches are already registered with the US government. Just a feeling.

Oh, certainly. I just also want them registered and generally recognised as being "drones". I get really annoyed at people who scream about "future killer drones changing warfare" and "how can they possibly be safe" while they're sitting on an airliner that's been under computer guidance since it finished taxiing and when the US military has been using guided missiles since the 50s.

And I get annoyed by people who simply don't "get it".

Nobody cares about the definition of a drone. It is irrelevant whether it is manned/unmanned, large/small, heavy/light etc. They care that they are used safely and don't put innocent people at risk.

Aircraft pilots and government officials go through rigorous training to ensure that anything they do is safe. A 15 year old kid buying one off the internet does not. Hence the need for regulations.

Re: U.S. Will Require Drones to Be Registered

#109

Post by threeseed »

narrator wrote: post #61

All the big consumer drone makers are in China. I love how all sorts of unregulated surprisingly powerful tech comes out of China. The last mischief they engaged in was way too powerful lasers. They just don't have the fear of science in that country like we have in America.

Nothing more exciting then a unregulated wild west. Especially for a place like China with 2x the driver mortality rate of the US, staggering deaths caused by pollution and industrial accidents and swathes of land irreparably polluted.

And of course the Chinese love it. That's why they are desperate for Western products like baby milk formula, vitamins and services in the health and old age sectors.

But of course the US is totally scared of science. What with being the hub of almost all successful startups.

Re: U.S. Will Require Drones to Be Registered

#110

Post by fiatmoney »

I'd love to see exactly what legislation they believe gives them the authority to enforce this kind of regime by regulatory fiat.

And I'd also love to see how they plan on getting around the very clearly required notice-and-comment period for new regulations, to say nothing of sweeping new regulatory frameworks (no way this happens legally by Christmas, which in this context probably means "day after thanksgiving").

This quote: "Under the plan, the government would work with the drone industry to set up a structure for registering the drones" makes me hope that they're planning on an ineffective and widely ignored warranty-card type system.

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