If you unpack a shiny new drone on Christmas morning, it's possible you'll have to get Uncle Sam's permission before you can fly it.
NBC News is reporting that the federal government will soon announce new requirements for drones, the most severe of which is that consumer drones will need to be registered with the Department of Transportation.
The move is reportedly intended to increase airplane safety, and comes amid concerns about possible collisions between consumer drones and larger aircraft. There have been a couple of close calls near major airports this year. During the most recent spate of wildfires in the Western states, drone pilots seeking aerial footage of burning forests were repeatedly interfering with firefighters' attempts to extinguish the blazes (a practice lawmakers are eager to snuff out). There are also concerns about the use of hobbyist aircraft in restricted airspace—like the time last May a man tried to fly a drone over the White House.
We should expect the new regulations to be made public Monday, the report says. This will enable the new rules to be put into place before the holidays, as drones are expected to be among this year's hottest gifts.
Such regulation at the federal level is groundbreaking, as most vehicle registrations are handled by individual states. For example, there is no national registry for cars, motorcycles, or even firearms.
