4 ms·

Unfortunately for authorities, the fact is by the time they catch an unregistered drone, the pilot is long gone.

by xwdv 6y ago

simion314 6y ago
I assume the rules would fix this so any medium and large drones will have to be registered like cars.
- bluescrn 6y ago
  And as with cars, the real criminals will probably steal one for their nefarious uses, rather than buy and register their own. Or build one from parts that are now widely available. You won't stop criminals using drones by forcing hobbyists to register even their ~30g 'Tiny Whoop' drones. Not sure it'll even have much impact on careless/reckless flying, as the people doing that are the sort of people who probably won't even read the rules before playing with their shiny new toy right next to an airport on a windy day...
  - dragonwriter 6y ago
    > You won't stop criminals using drones by forcing hobbyists to register No, if criminals are going to steal drones because of registration requirements, what that does is add another crime, that will often be detected earlier than the major crime they intend to commit and which adds to the probability that there will be sufficient evidence to convict them of at least one crime.
  - simion314 6y ago
    License number on cars are not only for criminals and terrorists. There are also used to identify who hit your parked car, who hit a person and run , who is driving dangerously.
- ehnto 6y ago
  I figure if the operator is doing something illegal, they might also risk not running an ID. I also wonder how the IDs will work, are they just written on the drone or do they need to have transponders like aircraft? I feel like transponders are the only way they could effectively enforce the rules.
  - zimpenfish 6y ago
    > I also wonder how the IDs will work, are they just written on the drone Sounds like written, sticker, embossed, etc. is all you need. "You must display your operator ID on your drones and model aircraft. "
  - simion314 6y ago
    >I figure if the operator is doing something illegal, they might also risk not running an ID. I am thinking more at idiots or negligent people not criminals or terrorists. If you cause some damages with your toy drone you will have no choice but to admit and pay for them and hopefully you get less idiots risking other people health with their toy hobby or commercial stuff.
  - kube-system 6y ago
    > I also wonder how the IDs will work Probably the same way the US requires them to be numbered: https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/register_drone/media/UAS_how_to_label_Infographic.pdf https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/register_drone/media...
- xwdv 6y ago
  If you are conducting illegal flights you will not register a drone, in fact you would probably consider the drone disposable.
  - pjmlp 6y ago
    Just like with stolen cars, sometimes something is left behind that traces back to the last user.
    - kube-system 6y ago
      You might be surprised how many vehicle accidents are never solved when the driver flees.
      - simion314 6y ago
        Yeah, but when you have a witness or a camera you get something more then a color. The scenario I see happening with drones is people crashing them by mistake on innocents heads or property causing damages, since the drone crashed police can read it's serial number and see who the owner is.
        kube-system 6y ago
        People who follow the rules and make a mistake are the most likely to be caught. They're probably also the least likely to cause trouble or run from the consequences of their actions. > since the drone crashed police can read it's serial number and see who the owner is. Not from the serial number -- but from the pilot's operator ID they received at registration, and then affixed to the side of their drone. Those who are apathetic to the rules, or actively flout them may simply take their drone out of the box and fly it.
        simion314 6y ago
        >People who follow the rules and make a mistake are the most likely to be caught. They're probably also the least likely to cause trouble or run from the consequences of their actions. Do you refer to drones only or in general? If in general you think car license plates are useless? > They're probably also the least likely to cause trouble or run from the consequences of their actions Any data or is an opinion? Btw most car related accidents are happening when people do not follow the rules like respecting the speed limit, or not using a phone so why would they follow the "accept the consequences of your actions" rule if they could get away?
stevehawk 6y ago
Unfortunately for humanity, we get a lot of comments like this that miss the point. Laws exist, in a lot of cases, to help keep honest people honest. Yea, my car has a license plate and criminal's easily steal someone else's or even make their own (particularly in my US state where they're only printed, not stamped metal). But having the license plate still helps in most cases.
- bjt2n3904 6y ago
  No, this is precisely the point. The argument for drone registration is, "there exist people who do dangerous things with drones, and we need laws to protect us from them." A license plate is not a safety measure. Seatbelts are a safety measure. Exerting petty licensing and a spaghetti network of regulations to obey just gives you a false sense of control.
  - mytailorisrich 6y ago
    Most people try to do the right thing and to follow laws and regulations. Putting regulations in place removes most of the problems because most people and drone manufacturers will follow them. There is always a minority who does not, from idiots to criminals, and that's why we have the police to enforce the law. License plates do make enforcement laws and regulations easier by the way, and thus do help protect everyone.
  - dj_mc_merlin 6y ago
    Have you read the regulations? They are safety measures. Drones over a certain weight can't be flown over people. A 1kg drone hitting you in the head has a lot of potential for injury (and is not that remote of a possibility). The fact that they have to be registered is annoying and we could do without, but understandable. Most things that occupy the air have to be registered, since there's a high possibility of catastrophe.
  - trailingComma 6y ago
    They restrict what manufacturers can legally provide, reducing the availability of dangerous drones. They also mean that a drone which is blatantly unsafe can now be legally confiscated. Lastly they provide extra options for punishment when someone is injured because the regulations were ignored. Though an increase in punishment doesn't have much impact on the incidents of a crime, it does have some. Some people get away with murder, so lets not make it a crime as these laws just give you a false sense of control! <- It's a silly argument.

Unfortunately for authorities, the fact is by the time they catch an unregistered drone, the pilot is long gone.

by xwdv 6y ago

Unfortunately for authorities, the fact is by the time they catch an unregistered drone, the pilot is long gone.

simion314 6y ago

I assume the rules would fix this so any medium and large drones will have to be registered like cars.

bluescrn 6y ago
And as with cars, the real criminals will probably steal one for their nefarious uses, rather than buy and register their own. Or build one from parts that are now widely available. You won't stop criminals using drones by forcing hobbyists to register even their ~30g 'Tiny Whoop' drones. Not sure it'll even have much impact on careless/reckless flying, as the people doing that are the sort of people who probably won't even read the rules before playing with their shiny new toy right next to an airport on a windy day...
- dragonwriter 6y ago
  > You won't stop criminals using drones by forcing hobbyists to register No, if criminals are going to steal drones because of registration requirements, what that does is add another crime, that will often be detected earlier than the major crime they intend to commit and which adds to the probability that there will be sufficient evidence to convict them of at least one crime.
- simion314 6y ago
  License number on cars are not only for criminals and terrorists. There are also used to identify who hit your parked car, who hit a person and run , who is driving dangerously.
ehnto 6y ago
I figure if the operator is doing something illegal, they might also risk not running an ID. I also wonder how the IDs will work, are they just written on the drone or do they need to have transponders like aircraft? I feel like transponders are the only way they could effectively enforce the rules.
- zimpenfish 6y ago
  > I also wonder how the IDs will work, are they just written on the drone Sounds like written, sticker, embossed, etc. is all you need. "You must display your operator ID on your drones and model aircraft. "
- simion314 6y ago
  >I figure if the operator is doing something illegal, they might also risk not running an ID. I am thinking more at idiots or negligent people not criminals or terrorists. If you cause some damages with your toy drone you will have no choice but to admit and pay for them and hopefully you get less idiots risking other people health with their toy hobby or commercial stuff.
- kube-system 6y ago
  > I also wonder how the IDs will work Probably the same way the US requires them to be numbered: https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/register_drone/media/UAS_how_to_label_Infographic.pdf https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/register_drone/media...
xwdv 6y ago
If you are conducting illegal flights you will not register a drone, in fact you would probably consider the drone disposable.
- pjmlp 6y ago
  Just like with stolen cars, sometimes something is left behind that traces back to the last user.
  - kube-system 6y ago
    You might be surprised how many vehicle accidents are never solved when the driver flees.
    - simion314 6y ago
      Yeah, but when you have a witness or a camera you get something more then a color. The scenario I see happening with drones is people crashing them by mistake on innocents heads or property causing damages, since the drone crashed police can read it's serial number and see who the owner is.
      - kube-system 6y ago
        People who follow the rules and make a mistake are the most likely to be caught. They're probably also the least likely to cause trouble or run from the consequences of their actions. > since the drone crashed police can read it's serial number and see who the owner is. Not from the serial number -- but from the pilot's operator ID they received at registration, and then affixed to the side of their drone. Those who are apathetic to the rules, or actively flout them may simply take their drone out of the box and fly it.
        simion314 6y ago
        >People who follow the rules and make a mistake are the most likely to be caught. They're probably also the least likely to cause trouble or run from the consequences of their actions. Do you refer to drones only or in general? If in general you think car license plates are useless? > They're probably also the least likely to cause trouble or run from the consequences of their actions Any data or is an opinion? Btw most car related accidents are happening when people do not follow the rules like respecting the speed limit, or not using a phone so why would they follow the "accept the consequences of your actions" rule if they could get away?

stevehawk 6y ago

Unfortunately for humanity, we get a lot of comments like this that miss the point. Laws exist, in a lot of cases, to help keep honest people honest. Yea, my car has a license plate and criminal's easily steal someone else's or even make their own (particularly in my US state where they're only printed, not stamped metal). But having the license plate still helps in most cases.

bjt2n3904 6y ago
No, this is precisely the point. The argument for drone registration is, "there exist people who do dangerous things with drones, and we need laws to protect us from them." A license plate is not a safety measure. Seatbelts are a safety measure. Exerting petty licensing and a spaghetti network of regulations to obey just gives you a false sense of control.
- mytailorisrich 6y ago
  Most people try to do the right thing and to follow laws and regulations. Putting regulations in place removes most of the problems because most people and drone manufacturers will follow them. There is always a minority who does not, from idiots to criminals, and that's why we have the police to enforce the law. License plates do make enforcement laws and regulations easier by the way, and thus do help protect everyone.
- dj_mc_merlin 6y ago
  Have you read the regulations? They are safety measures. Drones over a certain weight can't be flown over people. A 1kg drone hitting you in the head has a lot of potential for injury (and is not that remote of a possibility). The fact that they have to be registered is annoying and we could do without, but understandable. Most things that occupy the air have to be registered, since there's a high possibility of catastrophe.
- trailingComma 6y ago
  They restrict what manufacturers can legally provide, reducing the availability of dangerous drones. They also mean that a drone which is blatantly unsafe can now be legally confiscated. Lastly they provide extra options for punishment when someone is injured because the regulations were ignored. Though an increase in punishment doesn't have much impact on the incidents of a crime, it does have some. Some people get away with murder, so lets not make it a crime as these laws just give you a false sense of control! <- It's a silly argument.