Before you start to hire a company to get your drone registered, stop and consider what the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says about it.
Early in November, the FAA announced that a registration system for consumer drones were underway.
A task force made up of individuals from organizations and companies involved in drone creation and manufacturing has been tapped by the FAA to suggest a system that would identify drones and their users. The registration system would help police and FBI to track the drones, in the case that they are found in non-compliance with the FAA's rules.
Prior to the FAA's official announcement, however, a cautionary note has been released for drone owners who are considering hiring third party companies to complete their registration process.
"Owners should wait until additional details about the forthcoming drone registration system are announced later this month before paying anyone to do the work for them," the FAA said on Nov. 16. "At least one company is already offering to help people register their drones for a fee."
The FAA specifically asked the task force to come up with a blueprint that would be simple enough for consumers to use, so as to be able to do it themselves. Chances are, consumers won't need a registration firm to do the job for them.
Some websites have put up ads, claiming that they can register a drone for a $25 fee.
The FAA warns consumers to "think twice" before hiring any registration firms.
It is estimated that around 700,000 drones will be sold this year, putting greater pressure on companies such as Wal-Mart, Google, Amazon, BestBuy, Parrot and GoPro - all part of the FAA's drone registration task force - to devise an effective registration system for consumers. Other factors that have been put into consideration as regards the registration blueprints are sky safety and drone technology.
Don McCullough | Flickr
Be sure to follow T-Lounge on Twitter and visit our Facebook page.
