On Friday, May 19, 2017 the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled in favor of a drone hobbyist who had challenged the legality of the FAA’s drone-registration program.
Previously, the FAA required hobby drone owners to register their drones through a website for a $5 fee. Drone hobbyists were then issued a unique identification, which they were required to mark on their drones.
The court held that the 2012 FAA Modernization and Reform Act, which was passed by Congress and signed by President Barack Obama, “codified the FAA’s longstanding hands-off approach to the regulation of model aircraft.” That rule provides that the FAA “may not promulgate any rule or regulation regarding a model aircraft.”
While the court’s decision applies to hobby users, it does not apply to commercial drone users.