Drone rules
The FAA shouldn’t overly restrict hobbyists
The Federal Aviation Administration shouldn’t kill a hobby in an overreaching effort to keep the skies safe.
Killing recreational drone flying is what the FAA might do if it goes forward with plans to require all drones weighing just over a half-pound to have remote tracking data. The rules should be revised to allow hobbyists to fly without excessive cost and without giving up personal information that could be accessed by almost anyone.
The proposed rules would make it almost impossible to fly drones in areas with poor Wi-Fi access or limited radio access. Those are some of the safest areas for drones to operate, since there’s little air traffic.
There are nearly 1.5 million drones in the air, the majority owned by hobbyists. The rules could also impact commercial drones, mostly those flown for small business and individual proprietors.
The rules are to add to air safety and prevent terrorism, according to the FAA. It seems unlikely terrorists would bother to register their drones or activate a tracking device. As for safety, most hobbyists are responsible people and follow existing laws and regulations. Smaller drones are unlikely to cause serious accidents.
The rules don’t grandfather in older drones, which means hobbyists would have to buy new drones or install tracking devices. Hobbyists would also have to pay a monthly fee to transmit tracking data in real time.
While some additional regulations are needed for drones, the FAA plan goes too far.
Not only would the tracking system show the location of the drone, it would identify the operator and the operator’s location via a radio frequency. The operator’s information would be available to anyone with minimal radio equipment or an internet connection.
Registration requirements already exist for recreational drones under 55 pounds. The registration process includes educational requirements. Smaller drones must be operated below 400 feet and be in the line of sight of the operator.
Commercial uses of smaller drones include taking inventory and photography of properties for real estate companies for sales purposes.
The FAA should reconsider the rules to allow hobbyists to continue to enjoy flying without excessive costs. That could be accomplished by making the rules apply only to larger drones, and allowing amateur operators to fly drones under existing safety rules.