Regulators: Drones Must Register to Improve Air Safety, Construction Projects Could Face Penalty
It's a bird, it's a plane—no, it's a drone. For the first time in history, recreational drones will be required to register with the government in attempt to make drone flyers think twice about air safety.
The Federal Aviation Administration is prohibited from imposing new restrictions, but undisclosed penalties will occur to any of the up to 1M drone users who don't comply, something that could affect a series of construction projects.
Drones have grown in popularity, having carved out a space in the construction industry, as more contractors use them to easily and quickly capture aerial images and inspect dangerous, hard-to-reach places.
Registration will be another hoop to jump through for contractors, especially those who break the rules (like no going above 400 feet) during site work.
Officials are racing to finalize the registration system before the holiday season, when drone sales peak. The Consumer Electronics Association predicts 700,000 drones will be sold this year, up 63% from 2014. [WaPo]
