US to require hobby drones to be registered as it combats growing safety threat
The plan is a response to government concerns over the increasing number of close calls between drones and aircraft flying to and from some of the country’s biggest airports
The Obama administration, faced with a surge in unauthorised drone flights, will announce a new initiative Monday aimed at registering the owners of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), people familiar with the matter said.
The announcement is expected to be made by US Treasury Secretary Anthony Foxx and Michael Huerta, administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, at a news conference attended by members of the drone industry.
Two sources who were informed of the plan said the administration will announce the formation of an independent advisory committee with the goal of creating the structure of a federal drone registry by December.
Administration plans for a new registry were first reported on Friday by NBC News.
The expected initiative represents the administration's effort to address the rising number of unauthorised drone sightings near airports and crowded public venues. The FAA has reported more than 650 unauthorised drone sightings so far this year, as of August 9, compared with 238 for all of 2014. If sightings continue at that rate, the number would near 1,100 by the year end.