OPINION:
They soar overhead by the thousands, without regard for the safety of anyone on the ground or in the air. They climb among the clouds and describe death-defying dives toward the earth. Sometimes they crash into houses and cars, and harass and “bomb” unsuspecting pedestrians. (No offense meant.)
Oblivious to the rigid etiquette of the air, they make a mockery of the rulemakers, whose only recourse has been to shake their fists at the freewheeling flyers. Birds answer only to Mother Nature, and now drones will answer at last to a lesser but effective authority.
The Federal Aviation Administration released its long-awaited regulations Monday for “unmanned aerial vehicles,” which is geekspeak for drones, the miniature flying machines operated by remote control from the ground. They must be registered with the U.S. government. Swept up in the federal dragnet, or drone-net, all drones between a half-pound and 55 pounds must submit.
Some toy store models, already wrapped and stowed under the Christmas tree (batteries not included) must be listed with the FAA or confined to indoor use. That favorite yuletide carol, “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer,” may soon get a new verse describing the old girl’s reaction to a humming drone invading the living room and scrambling her coiffure. Sending the kids to play outside with their toy will no longer be an option.
The backyard aviators must pay a $5 registration fee before a Feb. 19 deadline, but owners who register by Jan. 20 will get a refund. Drone operators must carry their government-issued certificate while flying by remote control, and failure to register can be punished by fines up to $27,500, and up to three years in prison.
It’s all in the name of safety. “Make no mistake: unmanned aircraft enthusiasts are aviators, and with that title comes a great deal of responsibility,” says U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “Registration gives us an opportunity to work with these users to operate their unmanned aircraft safely.” The FAA might add a little holiday cheer by giving these new “aviators” more than a piece of paper, perhaps something like the wings airline stewardesses first pinned on youngsters when they stepped aboard the old reliable, the Douglas DC-3.
Drones are prohibited from flying above 400 feet and must fly at least five miles from sports stadiums and airports. Despite those restrictions, airline pilots have reported hundreds of violations in which drones have intruded into restricted airspace, triggering calls for the new registration rules. With their list of owners, the sky cops can identify violators.
Since depending on the cool judgment of careful operators can be a fool’s errand, every season brings new rules. There’s no information yet about how to “unregister” a drone that gets tangled in a tree or batted down by the cat. No one knows yet whether Santa has traded his reindeer-powered sleigh for a fleet of unmanned delivery drones this year. The federal authorities are working on a different set of rules for that.
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