DOT Secretary Foxx Restates Position On Agency Blog

The FAA will move forward with the policy announced Monday to register nearly every drone sold in the U.S., according to a blog post attributed to DOT Secretary Anthony Foxx.

"We fully appreciate the potential of UAS to transform transportation, commerce, and quality of life. In fact, unmanned aircraft are already performing important tasks like inspecting infrastructure and crops and monitoring wildlife. They are also being used by companies to help support lines of business," the post says.

"But we've also seen unmanned aircraft interfering with public safety, most recently in California by disrupting critical wildfire operations. Some have come too close to airplanes and airports; the FAA receives reports every day of potentially unsafe UAS operations, and pilot sightings of UAS flying near manned aircraft have increased significantly since 2014. And, at this year's U.S. Open tennis tournament in September, a UAS crashed inside Arthur Ashe stadium during a match."

Foxx said that people registering their drones will be exposed to the rules and the reasons for them, and this will help reduce unsafe activity. Registration also reinforces the need for unmanned aircraft users, including consumers and hobbyists, to operate safely or face enforcement action.

Clarifying that federal law requires the registration of all aircraft –including unmanned aircraft– is a first order of business, and the FAA has posted its clarification in the Federal Register where it is available for public comment.

The FAA will start putting together the task force this week, according to Foxx. It will be comprised of 25 to 30 diverse representatives from the UAS and manned aviation industries, the federal government, and other stakeholders. The group will provide recommendations for a streamlined registration process that takes advantage of available technology to make it less burdensome for UAS operators. It will also advise the FAA on which aircraft should be exempt from registration due to lower safety risk, including toys and certain other small UAS.

(Top image from DOT Blog, lower image from file)

FMI: www.dot.gov