How to Register Your Drone With the FAA

Ever given thought to just how important it is to register your birdie with the FAA? Well, the thing is, you don’t actually have a choice here — it’s the law. Drone registration has been an on and off affair in the USA; it was obligatory to register then eventually got canceled after hobbyists battled with the law. In fact, the FAA had to return the $5 fees charged back to players since 2015! At this time, hobbyists were super happy that they could fly their drones right out of the box with zero worries about the law. But then again, registration became mandatory on December 12, 2017, and of course, turned out to be Public Law 114-328 on December 23, 2017.

So what’s the point? It’s pretty simple — every recreational drone flyer must register their drones to avoid trouble with the law. Trust us; it’s way better to spend five dollars to do the right thing than to end up spending thousands of dollars as a result of ignorance — pretty sure you get the point!

Note: There’s no need to worry about registration if you’re flying only indoors. What’s more, the law doesn’t affect small tiny mini drones; it’s actually centered on those weighing over 0.55 pounds. That said, you won’t be wrong to keep up with this post if you got a DJI Phantom 4 or Mavic Pro.

Why Does The FAA Want You to Register your drone?

For the most part, the FAA is simply looking to get a database of users with the aim of keeping them updated about the most recent rules and guidelines. What’s more, the registration is also seen as a way to keep pilots accountable for their actions.

The good thing is, the entire registration process is easy and only cost five dollars. What’s more, your registration will be valid for three years. You have absolutely nothing to lose!

How To Register Your Drone

First off, open up the FAA’s drone registration website. Then when you’re on the page, look for an acronym ‘sUAS’ and of course, click on it. For those who might not know sUAS is short for small unmanned aircraft system. It’s actually a general description for just about any aircraft that’s controlled by an operator on the ground. That said, the registration is not just for drones but other flying things or gadgets, just think RC helicopters and the likes.

The Sign-Up Process

At this point, you should be aware that you can choose to register by paper or online. But of course, online registration is sure to be your best bet as it only takes five minutes to get things done. In essence, you can look forward to getting your registration number in no time.

First off, it’s important to create an account before proceeding and of course, ensure that you’re up to 13 years or older.

Account Creation and Verification Process

Start by filling out the drone form then proceed to click create an account. Afterward, you’ll receive a verification email which you’ll have to click (that’s after accessing your email account), read. And of course, you can proceed to the next step after clicking ‘agree.’

At this point, you have successfully created an account within the FAA’s database.

Now it’s time to register your drone. First off, log into your newly created account and choose one from the two registration options. It’s either you’re a hobbyist or commercial drone pilot.

If you’re a recreational user, you’ll only have to give the FAA your name, address and of course, your email address. On the flip side, those looking to make money with their drone will have to provide a little more information including name, address, email address, the model and the serial number of the UAV.

Once you’ve selected the right option for you, simply follow the instructions and of course, provide the information that’s needed to complete the process.

At this point, the FAA site will give you a registration number, and that’s it! You’re done. It’s good to know that you’ll receive a certificate that comes with your number. That said, you can choose to print it out and of course, show it to anyone who cares to know.

Don’t forget to Label Your Drone

Finally, it’s great or let’s say crucial to label your drone with your new registration number. Right now, it’s up to you to do what works best for you — either engrave the number onto your drone or use a permanent marker to write on it.

Wrapping it Up

Summing everything up from top to bottom, we can see that the entire drone registration process is easy and straightforward. As mentioned earlier, it’s best to part with five dollars and of course, use a few minutes of your time to stay on the good side of the law. So what now? Well, it’s time to visit the FAA’s website and get the registration over with.

Happy flying!