FAA Makes Major Drone ID Marking Change

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) posted a rule in the Federal
Register requiring small drone owners to display the FAA-issued
registration number on an outside surface of the aircraft. Owners and
operators may no longer place or write registration numbers in an
interior compartment. The rule is effective on February 25. The
markings must be in place for any flight after that date.

When the FAA first required registration of small drones in 2015, the
agency mandated that the registration marking be readily accessible
and maintained in readable condition. The rule granted some
flexibility by permitting the marking to be placed in an enclosed
compartment, such as a battery case, if it could be accessed without
the use of tools.

Subsequently, law enforcement officials and the FAA’s interagency
security partners have expressed concerns about the risk a concealed
explosive device might pose to first responders upon opening a
compartment to find a drone’s registration number. The FAA believes
this action will enhance safety and security by allowing a person to
view the unique identifier directly without handling the drone.

This interim final rule does not change the original acceptable
methods of external marking, nor does it specify a particular external
surface on which the registration number must be placed. The
requirement is that it can be seen upon visual inspection of the
aircraft’s exterior.

The FAA has issued this requirement as an Interim Final Rule—a rule
that takes effect while also inviting public comment. The FAA issues
interim final rules when delaying implementation of the rule would be
impractical, unnecessary, or contrary to the public interest. In this
case, the agency has determined the importance of mitigating the risk
to first responders outweighs the minimal inconvenience this change
may impose on small drone owners, and justifies implementation without
a prior public comment period.

The FAA will consider comments from the public on this Interim Final
Rule, and will then review any submissions to determine if the
provisions of the ultimate Final Rule should be changed. The 30-day
comment period will end on March 15, 2019. To submit comments, go to
http://www.regulations.gov and search for “RIN 2120-AL32.”

As Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao promised last month, the FAA
also posted proposed new rules to let drones fly routinely at night
and over people, and to further integrate them safely into the
nation’s airspace. The comment period for these proposals is now open
and ends on April 15.