FAA should provide labels for drones

[FunN4Lo]

Ok heres my opinion.

You get license plates for free here when you register your car. You get a pilots license on paper for free when you pass the test. You get a social security card on paper for free when you get a number.

The government gives out these free, they could give out the registration numbers for free too. The only reason why they probably dont, is because there are so many different drones out there, people will want custom colors, etc.

For FREE?!?!? For FREE?!?
Where do you live?
To register a car is NOT free in my state. It can cost thousands of dollars to pay the tax. To get the annual license renewal is NOT free either. It costs me $25-$40 depending on my vehicle. Do you want this model for drones so your sticker is "free"?!?

 

[tleedom]

 

[Bob4131]

This has made me think of the following? If the local police want to match an FAA registration number to an owner - who do they contact? How long does it take to get the information? They have access to license plate numbers from across the nation but do they have computer access to the FAA numbers? Would that not be the ultimate goal ? I think we need a multimillion dollar study!

 

[mikemoose55]

This has made me think of the following? If the local police want to match an FAA registration number to an owner - who do they contact? How long does it take to get the information? They have access to license plate numbers from across the nation but do they have computer access to the FAA numbers? Would that not be the ultimate goal ? I think we need a multimillion dollar study!

The police most likely will have no idea of what the FAA number signifies but will simply be the collectors of the data / number.


Allow me this example......an ordinary citizen finds a drone has landed / crashed in their back yard. No property damage, no harm , no hurt just a fancy toy in the yard.
If they contact the local police who may come out and collect the item if the citizen wants to turn it in It goes into the evidence collection every police operation must have.
Guess what happens next.....
A the drone sits there in evidence and collects dust forever....................
B The police officer pays some attention to the FAA number on the thing and contacts the first government agency he can think of and continues to call government agencies until he / she can trace the number back to some individual who may have a connection with the number to return the property.

FAA numbers on our drones are nothing more than more than a "black box" in a commercial aircraft.
They, black boxes, have no value and are continually overwritten until something tragic happens then they are the prime focus to any aircraft incident.
While I have absolutely no problem with accountability that is ALL the FAA number on our drones is for accountability and a line back to you or me if we do something stupid or cause some harm or damage even unintentionally.
We should all remember this every time we launch our aircraft.
mikemoose55

 

[BigAl07]

Cheech said "I'm pretty sure I read that "Magic Markers are not acceptable".

And Cheech very possibly is right. Why would the FAA allow a permanent marking pen be used for such an important task ?

The bigger issue is I could see the FAA giving us some grief because we tried to comply with their silly rules in a simple way and actually apply a reg number to our toys with a magic marker or better yet a Crayon.

Maybe they should publish a federal specification say 60 or 70 pages so we can fully understand the acceptable fit form and function of "those special" registration numbers for application to a toy.

I would think for about a million bucks and a couple years of study and research they could fully define the marking requirements for us idiots and then when done they could sign the specifications into law WITH A FREAKING SHARPIE.
Why do they even have to tell us how ................we are not idiots

Which Are the Best Permanent Markers?
mikemoose55

Did you even look at post #76?

The police most likely will have no idea of what the FAA number signifies but will simply be the collectors of the data / number.


Allow me this example......an ordinary citizen finds a drone has landed / crashed in their back yard. No property damage, no harm , no hurt just a fancy toy in the yard.
If they contact the local police who may come out and collect the item if the citizen wants to turn it in It goes into the evidence collection every police operation must have.
Guess what happens next.....
A the drone sits there in evidence and collects dust forever....................
B The police officer pays some attention to the FAA number on the thing and contacts the first government agency he can think of and continues to call government agencies until he / she can trace the number back to some individual who may have a connection with the number to return the property.

FAA numbers on our drones are nothing more than more than a "black box" in a commercial aircraft.
They, black boxes, have no value and are continually overwritten until something tragic happens then they are the prime focus to any aircraft incident.
While I have absolutely no problem with accountability that is ALL the FAA number on our drones is for accountability and a line back to you or me if we do something stupid or cause some harm or damage even unintentionally.
We should all remember this every time we launch our aircraft.
mikemoose55

All it takes is a simple call to the local FSDO and about 3 minutes to get the information for any registered sUAS operator. Law Enforcement has been given this information several times over the last year and in fact there was a Law Enforcement/Public Safety webinar from the FAA just last Wednesday with multiple levels of FAA contact given.

A sUAS was found and given to our local Sheriff's department last fall. The officer made the call, got the information and 2 days later the aircraft (DJI Inspire 2 by the way) was back in the hands of the owner and ready to fly again. For this one operator that FAA# saved them at least a couple thousand$$ and was time well spent.

 

[Cheech Wizard]

Did you even look at post #76?




All it takes is a simple call to the local FSDO and about 3 minutes to get the information for any registered sUAS operator. Law Enforcement has been given this information several times over the last year and in fact there was a Law Enforcement/Public Safety webinar from the FAA just last Wednesday with multiple levels of FAA contact given.

A sUAS was found and given to our local Sheriff's department last fall. The officer made the call, got the information and 2 days later the aircraft (DJI Inspire 2 by the way) was back in the hands of the owner and ready to fly again. For this one operator that FAA# saved them at least a couple thousand$$ and was time well spent.

I did see post#76, but what date was that graphic made? First the FAA wanted registration, then they didn't. THEN THEY DID! I think Oct, 2018 they said you didn't then I think by Dec 2018 it was back on.

 

[BigAl07]

I did see post#76, but what date was that graphic made? First the FAA wanted registration, then they didn't. THEN THEY DID! I think Oct, 2018 they said you didn't then I think by Dec 2018 it was back on.

That snarky remark was not for you bud. It’s for the member I quoted.

That graphic was released mid to late Feb or at least that when I first saw it.

 

[Cheech Wizard]

That snarky remark was not for you bud. It’s for the member I quoted.

That graphic was released mid to late Feb or at least that when I first saw it.

I didn't think it was "Snarky", but I am still looking for the comment about markers. Ha.

 

[BigAl07]

I didn't think it was "Snarky", but I am still looking for the comment about markers. Ha.

I was quoting post #80
FAA should provide labels for drones

 

[Bob4131]

Did you even look at post #76?




All it takes is a simple call to the local FSDO and about 3 minutes to get the information for any registered sUAS operator. Law Enforcement has been given this information several times over the last year and in fact there was a Law Enforcement/Public Safety webinar from the FAA just last Wednesday with multiple levels of FAA contact given.

A sUAS was found and given to our local Sheriff's department last fall. The officer made the call, got the information and 2 days later the aircraft (DJI Inspire 2 by the way) was back in the hands of the owner and ready to fly again. For this one operator that FAA# saved them at least a couple thousand$$ and was time well spent.

Thanks for the information, good to know the police can actually access the FAA listing. I would expect it will be primarily used for identifying and charging owners after damage from a mishap.

 

[sar104]

Thanks for the information, good to know the police can actually access the FAA listing. I would expect it will be primarily used for identifying and charging owners after damage from a mishap.

That wasn't the intent of the change in the law though - they could do that previously with the registration number inside. The purpose of the change was to allow LE to get the registration number from an unidentified drone (and therefore possible threat) without touching it, run the registration to find the owner, and then (hopefully) identify the drone and rule it out as a threat.

 

[Bob4131]

That wasn't the intent of the change in the law though - they could do that previously with the registration number inside. The purpose of the change was to allow LE to get the registration number from an unidentified drone (and therefore possible threat) without touching it, run the registration to find the owner, and then (hopefully) identify the drone and rule it out as a threat.

I know that rationale. I could be wrong (not uncomman - my wife tells me I often am !) but I doubt there are many drones where police are worried about a bomb and after the FAA provided phone number and a call to the owner, they feel safe. I could be wrong, but I suspect they will just "disable it to be safe". But a drone stuck in a cell tower that before might have been just trashed because the effort to contact DJI by tracing the serial # was too much effort will now result in liability to the drone owner because now they can read off the registration # and quickly identify the owner. I know, I know I am going back to ancient times to before registration #s were even required and dinosaurs roamed the earth.
I am not hung up on registration numbers inside or outside but I sometimes think the reasons given to create a new regulation are a little farfetched. It is probably better to just say this is what the regulation is and not try to justify the goverment's actions.

 

[BigAl07]

I am not hung up on registration numbers inside or outside but I sometimes think the reasons given to create a new regulation are a little farfetched. It is probably better to just say this is what the regulation is and not try to justify the goverment's actions.

I think you "could" be hitting the nail on the head here. By making it a SAFETY issue and linking it to concerns brought up by Public Safety (LEO etc) it was able to be expedited and bypass the standard NPRM process. I work in the Public Safety sector and I've never heard anyone say, "I don't think we should handle the sUAS to inspect inside for the Reg# because it could be an explosive device" That doesn't mean that someone in the PS arena who is very paranoid couldn't have had input but I think this just made it "easier" to push on through.

Honestly it needs to be on the OUTSIDE anyway.

 

[mikemoose55]

Look at it this way if you have to have be registered ,permitted , certified , vetted to buy , have , and carry a hand gun and you follow the rules most likely you are not the problem. It is the bad guys that buy black market guns and file off serial numbers that are the majority of the problems. We sheep will mark our toys so we can play the game because it is what we do. When some wacko causes a problem with an unregistered toy then they will expand the control with new rules and sheer more wool from the sheep properly minding the sheppard already.
Yes it is just a number and I have my toy properly marked but it solves no problem . It is just the only thing the sheppard understands about tending the sheep.
Play their game.........fly your drone !
mikemoose55

 

[Thomas B]

I am concerned that if drone folks keep pushing this that the pushback will be confiscation as local ordinances begin to echo FAA.

 

[BigAl07]

I am concerned that if drone folks keep pushing this that the pushback will be confiscation as local ordinances begin to echo FAA.

North Carolina already "mimics" the FAA to a "T". They did this in order to allow local LEO to be able to enforce FAA rules & regs on the local level.

Before anyone gets all bent out of shape and screams "PreEmption" the FAA was a part of this process and approved it every step of the way. They've even gone so far as to ENDORSE it in several webinars the most recent one being last week.

 

[Cheech Wizard]

That wasn't the intent of the change in the law though - they could do that previously with the registration number inside. The purpose of the change was to allow LE to get the registration number from an unidentified drone (and therefore possible threat) without touching it, run the registration to find the owner, and then (hopefully) identify the drone and rule it out as a threat.

Does everyone think they have "Andy" and "Barney" for cops? That's the first mistake... they have electronics that blow away drone tech.

 

[Cheech Wizard]

Thanks for the information, good to know the police can actually access the FAA listing. I would expect it will be primarily used for identifying and charging owners after damage from a mishap.

Of course the police can do much more than you think. Plus there are cameras EVERYWARE.

 

[Bledsoe1qb]

Go to Wal-Mart and buy a label maker they come in handy.