Join our colleague, Kate Growley, today when she moderates a panel on the current regulatory issues with small unmanned aerial vehicles (aka UAS or drones): ABA Registration Link. The “it” holiday product this year brings a host of safety, security and privacy issues equally relevant to lawyers and non-lawyers.

Citing sales estimates of 1 million drones, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is expected to issue a final rule establishing a mandatory registration requirement for all drones, including those used for recreational or hobby purposes, by mid-December.  The rule will be based recent Department of Transportation (DOT) task force recommendations that would, among other things: (1) create a free online registration system; (2) require registration of any drone weighing more than 250 grams (~9 ounces); (3) require owners to provide their name and mailing address to register; and (4) assign a universal registration number to each owner that can be displayed across any drone they operate.  For more on drone regulations see our earlier article, Drinking and Droning, Safety Privacy and Security Take Center Stage as the Legal Landscape Evolves.