Drone Registration Number

[tca]

I know that the registration number has to be posted on the outside of the drone so it can be read "without" handling the drone so is there any certain size the numbers have to be?

 

[Drone Master]

I know that the registration number has to be posted on the outside of the drone so it can be read "without" handling the drone so is there any certain size the numbers have to be?

Currently there is no size requirement other than being legible.
I have used font size 6 and it seems to be a perfect size. It’s not so big that it makes your aircraft look ugly. I placed it on the back of the front left arm.

 

[Cpt.Barbossa1072]

 

[Drone on]

How is this of any value?

How is any of this going to be enforceable?

It's highly unlikely the font 6 markings can be read while in the sky, unless someone uses extraordinary telescopic visual aide, which would be ironic since drone pilots can't use anything other than ordinary glasses to see the much larger, albeit still tiny drone in the sky whilst maintaining VLOS?

Let's say a drone crashes to the ground and causes some form of issue. The authorities find the drone, but there are no external markings....gasp, oh no. Is that the end of the story? Or, using the serial number discovered by removing the battery once the authorities realize it is not a bomb, the authorities reach out to DJI who having no legal requirement to co-operate with the investigation say, "according to our records it's Mr. So & So' drone". The authorities come knocking on Mr So & So' door to learn he sold the drone on craigslist for cash. (side note. It is purely a coincidence that Mr. So & So kept the controller because the craigslist buyer wanted to control the drone by phone via wifi; purely coincidence. I swear)

Or, let's say it is unknown whether it is or isn't an un-exploded bomb. Is the bomber likely to put their registration number on the drone/bomb, or even be registered? Or, is the lack of a registration number a sure fire indicator that it might be a bomb because all law abiding drone pilots (all 10 of them) put identification on the drone.

Is this another one of those 'laws' that makes somebody feel happy that at least they tried something/anything?

What could possibly be the penalty for failing to comply? A fine? Jail time? The authorities don't have time for drones as it is, now. How is one more meaningless detail going to aide that?

 

[Mr. Salty]

How is this of any value?

How is any of this going to be enforceable?

It's highly unlikely it can be read while in the sky, unless someone uses extraordinary telescopic visual aide, which would be ironic since we can't use anything other than ordinary glasses to be legal in VLOS?

Let's say a drone crashes to the ground and causes some form of issue. Thereafter, the authorities find the drone, but there are no external markings....gasp, oh no. Is that the end of the story? Or, using the serial number discovered by removing the battery once the authorities realize it is not a bomb, do the authorities then reach out to DJI who have no legal requirement (as far as I know) to co-operate with the investigation? Let's say DJI says it's Mr. So & So. The authorities come knocking on Mr So & So' door to learn he sold the drone on craigslist for cash. (side note. It is purely a coincidence that Mr. So & So kept the controller because the craigslist buyer wanted to control the drone by phone via wifi; purely coincidence. I swear)

Is this another one of those 'laws' that makes somebody feel happy that at least they tried something/anything?

You could make the same argument for license plates on your car. Registration has been in force for several years now. Is it really worth complaining about at this point? Is $5 every three years going to kill you?

 

[Drone on]

You could make the same argument for license plates on your car. Registration has been in force for several years now. Is it really worth complaining about at this point? Is $5 every three years going to kill you?

Not talking about registration. Talking about putting the number on the drone' exterior, and yes you can make the same argument about car license plates. It is only of value for law abiding citizens. i.e. useless in crime, if the criminal could think that far ahead.

 

[tcope]

How is this of any value?

Already being discussed:

USA - Registration numbers to be required on exterior of aircraft soon (Feb. 23)

If you read the release from the FAA you will see it why this is being done.

 

[msinger]

If you read the release from the FAA you will see it why this is being done.

It states the following:

"Members of the law enforcement and security communities have expressed concern that the current rule, which allows registration numbers to be marked in an enclosed compartment, presents an imminent risk of harm to first responders. When responding to a security incident involving an unmanned aircraft, first responders seek to identify the owner or operator. One way to do that is to obtain the registration number of the unmanned aircraft. Requiring first responders to physically handle a small unmanned aircraft to obtain the registration number poses an unnecessary safety and security risk to those individuals, as well as to others in the immediate proximity to the aircraft, because of the potential for the unmanned aircraft to conceal an explosive device in an enclosed compartment (such as the battery compartment), designed to detonate upon opening. Requiring small unmanned aircraft owners to place the registration number on an external surface of the aircraft helps to mitigate this risk because a first responder can view the number without handling the aircraft, or by using other technologies that allow for remote viewing of the aircraft's external surface."

 

[Drone on]

It states the following:

"Members of the law enforcement and security communities have expressed concern that the current rule, which allows registration numbers to be marked in an enclosed compartment, presents an imminent risk of harm to first responders. When responding to a security incident involving an unmanned aircraft, first responders seek to identify the owner or operator. One way to do that is to obtain the registration number of the unmanned aircraft. Requiring first responders to physically handle a small unmanned aircraft to obtain the registration number poses an unnecessary safety and security risk to those individuals, as well as to others in the immediate proximity to the aircraft, because of the potential for the unmanned aircraft to conceal an explosive device in an enclosed compartment (such as the battery compartment), designed to detonate upon opening. Requiring small unmanned aircraft owners to place the registration number on an external surface of the aircraft helps to mitigate this risk because a first responder can view the number without handling the aircraft, or by using other technologies that allow for remote viewing of the aircraft's external surface."

 

[Drone on]

Ok...so, let' assume that instead of having to wait for an FAA response as to whom the registrant is (with the FAA that could take a while, and it might be a bomb, so maybe we should just use the dog), there is instead a data base that the first respondents can query, but they can't get a hold of the registrant because they are at the movies, and; ironically, their phone is in airplane mode, or said registrant states they sold it on craigslist, but they couldn't get the label off before the sale, the first responders are back at square one. Or, let's say they do get a hold of the bomber who was law abiding enough to register their flying bomb, do you trust the response one way or another?

It's seems improbable that a bomb of any consequence could be installed within the battery compartment unless the battery itself is the bomb and that the drone bomb was hand placed at the location, i.e. the drone was not flown, but hand placed. In that case, why use a drone? Is plastic shrapnel more damaging than metal? Or, does the bomber hate drones too, and using a drone that can't fly is a way to blame drone pilots, and get on the news? Two birds with one drone...no pun intended.

It seems to me, that if someone was to use a drone for a bomb, they wouldn't hand place it, they would fly it. What is the load carrying capability of a consumer drone? Is it sufficient to carry a bomb of any consequence? Remember, this is in the case it's in the battery compartment, so it can't be a consumer drone capable of flying. DJI is too tight for that.

All of this assumes the external registration number is located in a place that is easily visible. A response in the original thread stated that DJI recommends the registration be place behind the gimbal. How are first responders going to be able to see that without risk? Even if it the registration were placed more visibly, but it's on the other side of the drone. Are you going to surround the drone with binoculars?

If this is their reasoning, it doesn't seem well thought through.

If I can smell ******** from a mile a way, then first responders should be able to detect a bomb by other means than an external registration number.

However, there may be a bright side. Let's say the drone is harmless, but it crashed high up a tree somewhere beyond the VLOS. The pilot could just wait for first responders to call to clarify whether or not it's a bomb. Since they're already there, the first responders can help get it out of the tree.

If that's the case, are we obligated to make a donation?

 

[msinger]

Let's not forget that the FAA is not creating rules specifically for DJI drones. People could be flying much larger drones that have a much higher lifting capacity and more room to store foreign objects.

 

[Vegasdad]

WQhat a waste of our money this cost a whole lot more than $5 more people doing more stuff at the FAA and those people get paychecks. what a load of crap all this is doing is keeping the honest people honest. I,m sure every terriost and bad guy will be running down to get theirs. [Comment remove by Moderator].

 

[BigAl07]

What is the load carrying capability of a consumer drone? Is it sufficient to carry a bomb of any consequence? Remember, this is in the case it's in the battery compartment, so it can't be a consumer drone capable of flying. DJI is too tight for that.

Depends on the sUAS... not much on a Mavic but what about a Phantom, Matrice, or something like a Yuneec H520? My H520 carried and deployed a payload of 3lbs 2oz last week in a Search & Rescue demonstration. While I did not place it "inside the aircraft" I'm sure someone could easily fashion a fuselage that had an internal compartment to conceal a payload.

Do realize that there are a LOT of sUAS out there in use other than just our DJI Mavics etc. This goes up to sUAS weighing 55lbs.

 

[Dave A]

Not sure why having to put a number on the outside of a drone is such a big deal to some people. Seems more energy is spent complaining about it than actually doing it. I guess if someone is just anti government regulations and complains about everything the government does then this is just another useless regulation to them.
Life is already too short for me to lose any sleep over this. And yes I'm Canadian but here we also must attached our registration number as of June 1st 2019.