This may be the thing drone owners have been both dreading but also expecting as a select few in the mist still insist on using their units in inappropriate and sometimes dangerous ways. NBC news reported of learning that the US plans on announcing a new requirement for purchasers of drones to obtain a license.
It wasn’t clear if this would affect those who already are in possession of a drone as well, but most likely you can expect it will as the US government pushes to put a leash around owners who can’t seem to follow the simplest of rules.
There has been far too many close call situations where drones have nearly collided with commercial aircraft, sometimes above the height of 1000ft. They have been used to cause troubles during emergency response situations and have been caught a number of times spying into windows and so forth.
Air traffic control isn’t a game, especially when it involves the lives of innocent bystanders. Of course, we also hope it won’t infringe on simple freedoms or result in fees of any kind, unless it’s a one-time registration fee of $5 or so. If they were to implement a high or repetitive fee structure, you can imagine the major backlash that would ensue. Hopefully it will be a free and simple registration process that simply acts on the rules that are already in place (only now they would be able to fine owners for breaking them).
