New Rules Dictate Drones Must Have IDs Displayed Outside

With drones now getting in the way of flight navigation of airplanes, even to the point of grounding flights, it’s becoming important to enact rules that all drone owners must follow. One such rule will require drone owners to make sure they have the registration number showing on the outside to protect emergency workers.

New Rule Change for Drone Owners

The United States Federal Aviation Administration posted this new rule this week, and it will become active next week. So if you’re a drone owner, you need to take care of this right away.

Drones first fell into a practice of being registered in 2015. At that time the FAA allowed the ID number to be on the inside of the battery compartment. The only additional stipulation was that the compartment be easy to open.

But the FAA has changed its mind about ID number placement after terror-related concerns from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security. Drone owners will now need to have the ID number on the outside of the device where it will be clearly visible.

The FAA reports that this change is because of fears that some type of explosive could be put inside the battery compartment. If an emergency worker or first responder accesses the compartment to look for the drone’s ID number, the explosive device could activate.

If you will be flying a drone over the United States, it’s important that you change the location of your ID number. This web page explains the process of registering and obtaining an ID number.

Along with the ID number change, the FAA also released other possible rule changes. They’re relaxing some of the rule changes, especially with regards to nighttime flying. But with the recent safety incidents, it seems like an odd time to relax the rules.

Business of Flying Drones

But drones are no longer just a hobby; they’re joining the workforce by policing areas, making deliveries, etc. This shouldn’t be something only taking place in the U.S. This should be something worldwide.

They should all be registered, and safety considerations should be made for all of them. They’re all in the airspace that is shared by large aircraft. Every drone in every country has the ability to wreak havoc if safety measures aren’t followed.

Do you have a drone? Will you need to change the ID number? What do you think of the safety concerns involving drones? Chime in to the comments below and let us know.