Do U Have To Register Your Drone

<< Back to Part 107 Written report Guides

Updated Apr eleven, 2020

Registering your drone with the FAA is compulsory in the U.s. if it meets certain conditions - merely similar other aircraft that fly in the National Airspace Arrangement.

Here's a breakdown of what those registration requirements are, how to register your drone, how to mark your drone registration, and how to renew the registration.

Drone Weight

Your drone must be registered with the FAA if it has a takeoff weight of 0.55 pounds (249.5 grams) or more than. This applies to well-nigh every flying camera out there.

The DJI Mavic Mini was specifically designed to evade this requirement, coming in with a takeoff weight of 249 grams. However, if you put anything on the Mavic Mini - propeller guards, a strobe, even a lens filter - you'll exceed that half a gram and need to register your Mavic Mini with the FAA.

Source: §48.15 - Requirement to Annals

Minimum Age for Drone Registration

Even though all drones 0.55 pounds or more must be registered by their owner, you can just register if you're at to the lowest degree 13 years erstwhile.

So what do you do if you lot're under xiii? Y'all need to have someone who is at least 13 register your drone for you lot.

Registration does not point ownership; you lot're still the owner if you're under 13, simply the person that registered the drone for you lot has taken registration responsibility.

Source: §48.25 - Applicants

Nationality Requirements

Drones may not be registered in the Usa if they're already registered in a foreign country.

Additionally, in that location are specific citizenship requirements for those wishing to register their drone:

Must be a U.Due south. Citizen, or
A lawfully-admitted Permanent Resident, or
A company based in the U.S., operating in the U.S., and complying with U.S. police force.

Source: §48.xx - Eligibility for Registration

Steps to Register your Drone Online

Registering online is like shooting fish in a barrel. It'll cost $5 (proficient for three years), so y'all'll need a credit bill of fare handy for payment. Likewise, be sure to have your drone serial number.

Source: §48.30 - Fees

Where'south my drone serial number?

You'll often find it inside the battery compartment and sometimes on the arm also. This is what information technology looks like on the Mavic 2. The number is broken upward into ii lines to fit on the sticker.

mavic 2 serial number

Create an Business relationship on the FAA DroneZone

FAA DroneZone registration

Head over to the FAA DroneZone.

If you lot're flying purely for recreational purposes, click "Register" under the Exception for Recreational Flyers.
If you fly under Function 107 or are registering a Public Aircraft (law enforcement, SAR, etc.), click "Register" under the Part 107/Public Aircraft tab.

You'll exist taken to a screen where you'll create an account with your e-mail and prepare a password; verify your email when you're complete.

Registration requirements are more or less the same for both.

FAA DroneZone

Consummate Registration

Finish your Profile after creating your account - you'll need to supply both a physical accost and a mailing accost.

You'll come across "Manage sUAS Inventory" on your account dashboard. When you go in here, you'll click on "Add UAS."

The next screen that pops up will ask for your drone information - make, model, serial number, and nickname. Once you lot've entered all of that information, go back to your Dashboard and click on your Shopping Cart.

If all the information looks good, proceed to Checkout!

The FAA volition provide you lot with a registration number once you've completed the payment. You'll also get a PDF certificate that you'll need to impress out and keep with you while yous're flight.

Yous can get this PDF certificate at any fourth dimension by clicking on the registration number on your sUAS Inventory screen.

Drone registration certificate

Source: §48.100 - Application, §48.110 - Office 107/Public Aircraft Registration, §48.115 - Recreational Registration

Marking your Drone Registration

Marking drone registration

You withal can't wing your drone yet - you'll demand to mark the registration number on information technology first.

The FAA says this must be "permanent" - information technology doesn't take to be so permanent that the number can never be removed. It merely has to be permanent plenty that in that location's no way it can come up off in flight.

Where to Mark your Registration

The registration number must be marked on an external surface. Information technology tin't be inside of the battery compartment, for example. It also shouldn't be on the battery, since that'south not "permanent" to the drone. The arms work well, or anywhere else on the fuselage where it will be visible.

How to Mark your Registration

Your options include a permanent marking, engraving, using a label maker, and heavy-duty tape. Do non employ a dry-erase or moisture-erase marker.

Source: §48.200 - Aircraft Marking - Full general, §48.205 - Display and Location of Unique Identifier

Keeping Up With your Drone Registration

And then far, you've practical for registration, printed out your registration certificate, and marked your drone.

There are a few more housekeeping items for you while you ain the drone.

Renewing your Drone Registration

You'll have to renew your drone registration every three years. You can do this by returning to the FAA DroneZone website. The renewal fee is the same 5 bucks.

Source: §48.110 - Part 107/Public Aircraft Registration, §48.115 - Recreational Registration

If you Move

You'll need to update your registration information within xiv days of moving to a new physical or mailing address.

Merely go to the FAA DroneZone website and update your contour information.

Source: §48.105 - Requirement to Maintain Current Information

If the Drone is Sold or Decommissioned

Don't forget to abolish your registration if you sell the drone, or it's destroyed for any reason (permit'due south hope that's not the example!).

You tin do this at the FAA DroneZone under Manage sUAS Inventory. Click on the three dots side by side to your drone and select "Abolish."

Source: §48.105 - Requirement to Maintain Electric current Information

Drone registration screen

If you accept whatever questions almost whatever of these, delight don't hesitate to send me an email.

<< Dorsum to Part 107 Study Guides