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New FAA Rule for ALL Drones. READ THIS

I'm all for it and think it should have remained this way since day ONE.
 
I'm all for it and think it should have remained this way since day ONE.

My issue is this also applies to model aircraft. Most sport aircraft probably no issue and my 336 planes are already marked on the outside. But then I thin of the folks who are flying amazing scale models. I assume they can hide it underneath a wing or something.

top gun rc - Google Search
 
Yes those Scale birds are gonna look silly.
 
I know some Top Gun guys. They are talking about placing it in hinge lines of flaps on the bottom, inside gear doors. It seems they backed off size and location requirements.
 
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I know some Top Gun guys. They are talking about placing it in hinge lines of flaps on the bottom, inside gear doors. It seems they backed off size and location requirements.

That's correct. As of now they have no mandated size or location other than "externally visible". Here's a portion of the actual rule:

This interim final rule does not change the acceptable methods of external marking
provided in § 48.205(a) and (b). Additionally, the FAA does not specify a particular external
surface upon which the registration number must be placed. The requirement is that it can be
seen upon visual inspection of the aircraft’s exterior.


If you want to read the whole document (it's not yet filed) here's a link to it:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2019-00765.pdf
 
External markings are not a big deal, they should have been done that way to begin with.

Perhaps a larger consideration is this "order" serves as a "retrofit" order, requiring everything marked under the old rule to comply with the new rule. That may not sound like a big deal but as things move forward what other actions will be taken that require retrofitting previously constructed and registered drones with new hardware, software, or firmware? What costs will be deemed "reasonable" for such retrofitting, if any limit is imposed at all? What considerations will be given to original design limitations that may prevent compliance with a retrofit order?

Those that have flown full scale for a significant period of time have seen the FAA mandate all kinds of things that required alteration of pre-existing, certificated aircraft with little or no consideration for the expense that would be born by the airplane owners. As drone owners we should be very concerned the FAA will follow the same path with our equipment as they did with full scale.

One more concern is how the FAA has been issuing orders and regulations pertinent to drones without following the NPRM process. It seems that having drones referenced in national defense legislation has allowed the FAA to bypass the NPRM regulatory process.
 
Since the FAA currently does not seem to have any real rules regarding the actual sUAS construction or software I'm not too concerned about retrofits. But they could potentially develop those and deem all non-compliant devices as no longer legal to use. But I think that is a ways off.

Even with the proposed flight over people NPRM all they did was provide a measurable standard and left it up to the manufacturers to figure out how to comply.
 
Those that have flown full scale for a significant period of time have seen the FAA mandate all kinds of things that required alteration of pre-existing, certificated aircraft with little or no consideration for the expense that would be born by the airplane owners. As drone owners we should be very concerned the FAA will follow the same path with our equipment as they did with full scale.

Exactly!! They make the rules and it doesn't matter the cost or inconvenience. It's been this way a long time and I don't see that changing simply because our sUAS happen to be smaller. That might make it worse TBH.

One more concern is how the FAA has been issuing orders and regulations pertinent to drones without following the NPRM process. It seems that having drones referenced in national defense legislation has allowed the FAA to bypass the NPRM regulatory process.

BINGO!
If it's deemed "Safety" this gives them a blank check aka loophole to skip NPRM but if a rule is out of whack that doesn't mean it can't be challenged in the court system. It just depends on how bad it really is . . .
 
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When your registering your drone make sure the web site is for the real FAA. I almost got dupped into buying it from a look a like site and paying $25 instead of the $5 FROM THE REAL FAA.
 
It's 5 buck for all of the drones you own and for three years. Very cheap if you ask me.


It's worth noting that's only for hobby registration.

Commercial registration is $5 per aircraft/3years and each aircraft has a unique (not Yuneec LOL) registration #.
 
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From a statement by the AMA:

“.....and allowed the registration marking to be placed in an enclosed compartment, law enforcement officials and FAA partners have expressed concerns about the safety risks a concealed explosive device could pose to first responders when opening a compartment to find a registration number.”

Yeah, because bad guys and whack jobs who would place explosives on an sUAS will register and mark their drones. Another law/rule that only affect the Law Abiding Citizen. It’s such a simple concept and foundational to the term “criminal”: Criminals Do Not Obey The Law!
 
Keep in mind laws have three main objectives:

1) Define what is legal
2) Proscribe the consequences of violating the law
3) Deterrence

So of course we know criminals do not follow laws, that's what makes them criminals!! o_O

Another way to look at it is this allows LEO, etc. to determine at a glance if you are at least leaning in the direction of a good guy, because they know that bad guys don't follow the law. So I look at this as a "Good Guy" ID :p
 
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