Show us your drone graphics!

[Bad Santa]

I was looking at the regulations for flying and the FAA site said you have to have your registration number ON the drone. Makes sense.

I sort of likened it to the tail number on an airplane.

Anyhow, since I want to comply, I was wondering how people added this number to their drones. Just curious. (Block out numbers if you're bothered by people knowing it).

And then I started thinking that I want to add my name and contact info to my drone. Again, wondering how people did this. I was originally thinking of using a Sharpie but A) my handwriting has become atrocious and B) seems kind of tacky as opposed to professional. Don't get me wrong, it would be fine. I am in the graphics industry so, naturally, I think along those lines.

And then there's "decoration".

I have a vinyl cutter and saw templates for my drone (DJI mini 4). The templates seem quite complex and maybe I'd just do cuts for the big sections. Little vinyl pieces could come loose easily, I'd think. Who knows?
I saw some examples of how people had decorated their drones, including someone who had done theirs in camo. I thought it would be cool to have a camo drone but then thought, NO! It's going to blend with trees. Lose it and you'll never find it.
So I was thinking "sky blue". No, bad idea. Even the natural color is kind of a bad idea for the sky.

Maybe fluorescent green? Maybe Candy Apple Red glitter? The options are endless.

So, what have you all done?

 

[mavic3usa]

The easily and best way IMO to comply with the regulations plus have something that is effective and look nice is free and it's here:

Free FAA Drone Registration Stickers - Pilot Institute

pilotinstitute.com

 

[Bad Santa]

The easily and best way IMO to comply with the regulations plus have something that is effective and look nice is free and it's here:

Free FAA Drone Registration Stickers - Pilot Institute

pilotinstitute.com

Good info.
I'm assuming they benefit, somehow, through selling contact info (unless they're government subsidized).
It will be interesting to see the emails that come in with the unique spelling of my name for the envelope.

 

[MARK (LI)]

I used a label maker before obtaining my #s from @pilotinstitute.com their excellent reputation precedes them

 

[mavic3usa]

Good info.
I'm assuming they benefit, somehow, through selling contact info (unless they're government subsidized).
It will be interesting to see the emails that come in with the unique spelling of my name for the envelope.

Probably but IMO, there's no reason why any drone operator in teh US wouldn't want to be apart of the Pilot Institute organization. They are honorable and they are patriots when it comes to the drone community.

 

[msinger]

I'm assuming they benefit, somehow, through selling contact info (unless they're government subsidized).

They are likely going to send you details about their drone courses -- as that's the business they are in.

 

[Bad Santa]

View attachment 177907


They are likely going to send you details about their drone courses -- as that's the business they are in.

It appears so.
When I first went to the site I saw a lot of "free" in the descriptions.
Of course they need to make money somehow.
Now with further exploration, I see some of their courses are paid.

I don't have a problem with that business model.

 

[msinger]

I don't have a problem with that business model

They are up front with their plans. If they only do what they said, then sure, it seems fair to me too.

 

[DARKSeifer]

I used to stick a metal badge with the data lasered in, as it was mandatory. At some point I realized rules were there to ground us and hobbyist were just being hunted down by no reason whatsoever, so I just removed them to prevent paranoia building around any possible random crash.

Now I can choose to retrieve my drone or just leave it there, depending on where it crashed. To the moment I haven't crashed (well, the Avata doesn't count as I always fly it really close to me) in 700 hours of flight time, but it's just a matter of time.

 

[AMann]

Unlike Europe, in the US it doesn’t need to be a semi-permanent metal tag so I just wrote mine on with a sharpie- it can be cleaned off with rubbing alcohol if you need to change it.

Also put my name and phone number in the battery compartment. If I crash it, I’m not worried about it being trackable because it would not have been an illegal flight…

 

[AMann]

I used to stick a metal badge with the data lasered in, as it was mandatory. At some point I realized rules were there to ground us and hobbyist were just being hunted down by no reason whatsoever, so I just removed them to prevent paranoia building around any possible random crash.

Now I can choose to retrieve my drone or just leave it there, depending on where it crashed. To the moment I haven't crashed (well, the Avata doesn't count as I always fly it really close to me) in 700 hours of flight time, but it's just a matter of time.

Your serial number can be traced back to you from DJI if you registered it… personally I wouldn’t worry about it though, your luck has been good so far…

 

[MA2 317]

I want to add my name and contact info to my drone. Again, wondering how people did this. I was originally thinking of using a Sharpie

I used a Sharpie and then a label maker.

There's a vendor here that sells ID tags for drones you might look at.

DroneTats

mavicpilots.com

Another place to store your information is on the SD CARD in the form of a simple READ ME file.

If the aircraft spends time in the elements for a while, information on the outside may be compromised and unlegible.

The information on the card should remain intact for future reference.

Don't format the card in the aircraft as this will erase the information.

.

 

[GFields]

I made my own. I have a label maker with different size tapes. The larger drones have larger labels and so forth.
They are placed on both sides of the drones. No pictures needed.

 

[Droning on and on...]

At some point I realized rules were there to ground us and hobbyist were just being hunted down by no reason whatsoever, so I just removed them to prevent paranoia building around any possible random crash.

Man, I've really been one of the lucky ones! In this hobby for 10 years, and I've experienced nothing but expanding freedom, joy, and fun as I've learned more and more, expanded my fleet of drones, gotten into FPV, and more.

Perhaps the Feds just lack the staffing to be hunting us down here in the central coast out west USA?

 

[Droning on and on...]

I use these... The wallet card is convenient.

​

 

[hiflyer201]

I use a mailing label on the drone. Neat and easy

 

[Cafguy]

1st time:
1. Painstakingly used a pen to legibly write the numbers on a small scrap of paper.
2. Cut paper carefully to make it a precise rectangle.
3. Placed a piece of clear tape over the rectangle.
4. Cut slightly larger so it would stick to the drone.
5. Carefully lined up and placed the rectangle on the drone and applied.

2nd time.
1. Find a blank sticker and write the number on it.
2. Slap it on the drone somewhere. repeat when it comes off eventually.

 

[Max Headroom]

2nd time.
1. Find a blank sticker and write the number on it.
2. Slap it on the drone somewhere. repeat when it comes off eventually.

Get a permanent black marker pen and put the number on the inside of the battery cover i believe it doesn't have to be visible.

 

[MA2 317]

Get a permanent black marker pen and put the number on the inside of the battery cover i believe it doesn't have to be visible.

In the USA, the identification has to be on the outside.

There was a time when the battery compartment was OK but the rule was changed to help first responders with a crashed drone to identify it without having to remove a battery that may be compromised and catch fire putting a first responder in harms way.

I had the ID for the SPARK in the battery compartment and the FAA changed the rule.

So I took a silver Sharpie and wrote the numbers on the props as a joke along with a sticker on the body.

The FAA didn't specify where to put the numbers as long as they where visible on the outside.

.

 

[Max Headroom]

I didn't know we could use a marker pen at the time so i bought some of these off eBay UK