Magic Valley Drone Users Now Don’t Have to Register With the Feds
If you just want to mess around with a drone for your personal use, there's some good news. You now have way less red tape to deal with before you get to play with your new toy.
The Hill reported that an appeals court struck down the government requirement to register your drone with the Feds. Here's the exact wording of the court, as reported by The Hill:
“The FAA’s 2015 registration rule, which applies to model aircraft, directly violates that clear statutory prohibition,” the opinion said. “We therefore grant Taylor’s petition and vacate the registration rule to the extent it applies to model aircraft.”
But, there are a few caveats. It's the "for personal use" aspect of this to keep in mind. If you are operating a drone for business, you still need to register with the FAA.
Popular Science also mentioned something else to keep in mind. Any drone that is flown above 400 feet could also come under scrutiny and could be reported by pilots.
And, as if this were not complicated enough, some drone companies like DJI will handicap your drone's abilities until you register with them, as reported by The Verge.
The Magic Valley is one of the prime places in the country to take pretty drone video thanks to our bridge, Shoshone Falls, etc. But, if you're gonna play with your drone around here, you wanna keep it legal, too.