The FAA has posted a large database showing the city, state and zip code of each registered drone owner.
Release of the database responds to a number of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests submitted since the new unmanned aircraft registration system began operating on Dec. 21, 2015, according to FAA officials.
The FAA is not posting the names and street addresses of registered owners because the data is exempt from disclosure under a FOIA exemption that protects information in agency files from a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, officials noted.
The FAA based its determination to post only city, state and zip code on several factors, including, in part, that many of the registrants are minors and only hobbyists or recreational users.
In addition, when the FAA published its Federal Register notice pertaining to the new unmanned aircraft registration system it specifically advised the public that name and addresses would only be available by the registration number issued to the registrant. For these reasons, the FAA believes the privacy interest in such data outweighs any public interest, officials said.
Anyone who owns a drone weighing more than 0.55 pounds but less than 55 pounds must register before flying the aircraft outdoors for hobby or recreation. All owners of small unmanned aircraft used for other purposes must also register as one of the requirements associated with a Section 333 exemption.
You can view and search the registration data here.
As a Life-Long member of the Academy of Model Aeronautics, I refused to register with the FAA. Even though you can’t identify the registrant’s name and address in their downloaded spreadsheet, you can be sure Law Enforcement can. So imagine a drone drops out of the sky and breaks a windshield. More than likely the pilot operating the drone in a reckless manner is NOT registered. So the Police will look for the closest registrants and just like that their knocking on your door. Worse, someone gets your registration number and uses it. They fly recklessly and crash causing injury or property damage. What kind of defense can you mount for that scenario? Now you have to prove that the drone isn’t really yours!
Pilots beware! FAA now considers Model Airplanes as aircraft just like the Champ I own. So any enforcement related to a drone or model airplane puts your Pilot’s license at risk! This is crazier, imagine you design a scratch built model airplane (Aircraft) the possibility now exist that the FAA will have to review and approve your model before the first flight. I hope it doesn’t get that crazy.
Personly, It feels like they’re asking you to register a lethal weapon but without any access to normal civil “do process”. The FAA has their own legal system of administrative judges. How’s that going to work for the average model airplane enthusiast?
If forced to register I’ll just give up model aviation.
John, I concur with you and I’m in the same boat since I am both a big fan of model aviation and I am ATP rated with two full sized aircraft. I did register because I don’t want to give up model aviation but it is hampering my reintegration into it. I recently moved and, although I have gone to the local flying field a couple of times, I really haven’t joined the club. To me, the FAAs involvement in model aviation has taken some of the fun out of it. Not that I do anything wrong since i am an AMA member, follow their rules and always flew from sanctioned flying fields (never from parks). But I have heard the FAA talk about certification of the construction of these drones and rules governing how they are maintained. If they extend this to traditional model aviation, I want no part of that. The sad thing is that I have a 13 year old that I would like to introduce to model aviation and I just don’t feel warm and fuzzy about it (although it’s not a big deal right now, I just have enough things to worry about when it comes to having big brother watch you to jump into another one).
I looked at the list the FAA published and right now it’s not that bad, it’s actually kinds of interesting. But I have no doubt that sooner or later the FAA will be forced to disclose all personal information as they have to do today for airmen and aircraft registration. Your point about people taking your number and slapping it in their models is very valid and scary since the number is really not tied to a model and serial number or anything else that would prove that the drone is not yours.
What a headache!
Chris