Drone operators in the U.S. are going to be impacted by some big regulatory changes in the near future. Drones, referred to as unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), currently are not to be operated within 5 miles of an airport without notifying the airport operator/control tower, and are limited to an altitude of 400 feet.  The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently writing new rules pertaining to drones to further expand and define the regulations as the popularity and use of these devices increase dramatically across the country.  However, a big concern in the interim is accountability for operators who violate airspace regulations.

Recommendation Coming in November

The Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Anthony Fox and FAA Administrator Michael Huerta announced earlier this week that a task force will be created to address registration requirements for drones.  The task force, consisting of approximately 25 to 30 government and industry stakeholders, is expected to make their recommendations by November 20, 2015.  “Registering unmanned aircraft will help build a culture of accountability and responsibility, especially with new users who have no experience operating in the U.S. aviation system,” Foxx said.  “It will help protect public safety in the air and on the ground.”

The goal of the registration process is to be able to track drone violations back to the owners. It’s a good step in the right direction, but further development in enforcement will almost certainly be required to account for those individuals who intentionally avoid registration requirements.

Announcement of the task force and requests for public comment have been posted in the Federal Register and can be found here.

The FAA’s website dedicated to UAS information can be found here.

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