Huerta Says Over 325,000 Drones Are Now In The Database

FAA Administrator Michael Huerta told a UAV conference Monday that the number of drones now in its registry has surpassed the number of manned aircraft registered by the agency.

The remarks came at a conference held at the K&L Gates Law Firm. Huerta said that more than 325,000 people have registered their unmanned aircraft since the program launched on December 21. And the actual number of aircraft is higher because one registration number can be applied to multiple UAVs owned by the same person. The average is 1.5 aircraft per registration, he said.

“We’re very encouraged by the registration numbers we’ve seen so far,” Huerta said. “Safety is at the heart of this new registration system. We need to bring the unmanned aircraft enthusiasts into the culture that has characterized aviation throughout its history – that is a culture of safety and a culture of responsibility.”

USA Today reports that the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) is pushing back against the registration requirement that it describes as unnecessary and burdensome on its members.

The registration database collects the aircraft owners' name, physical address, and email address.

Huerta says there have been 24 cases opened against UAV operators. “We won’t hesitate to take strong enforcement actions against anyone who flies unmanned aircraft in an unsafe or illegal manner," he said.

(Image from file)

FMI: www.faa.gov