Stricter Ruling Regarding Drone Identification

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Drone owners in the US are now required by the FAA to mark the drone registration number on the exterior of the aircraft. The move addresses concerns expressed by the law enforcement community and the FAA’s inter-agency security partners regarding the risk a concealed explosive device poses to first responders who must open a compartment to find the small unmanned aircraft’s registration number.
According to regulations.gov, this interim final rule requires small unmanned aircraft owners to display the registration number on an external surface of the aircraft. Small unmanned aircraft owners are no longer permitted to enclose the FAA-issued registration number in an enclosed compartment. Previously, owners were permitted to enclose the registration number in a compartment inside of the device, as long as the compartment could be opened without a special tool.
In order to grant flexibility to the diverse types of small unmanned aircraft commercially available, the FAA required that the registration number marking be readily accessible and maintained in a condition that is readable and legible upon close visual inspection.
The ruling issued by the FAA and the Department of Transportation is necessary to enhance the safety and security of those on the ground.
Nearly two years ago, the Department of Homeland Security formally requested that the FAA change its rulemaking, saying small unmanned aircraft “can be a source of risk, a potential threat, and time consuming for the law enforcement officer to identify the owner/operator for law enforcement, security or safety purposes,” according to tvtechnology.com.