Your Private Information Is Made Public When You Register Your Drone

The FAA finally confirmed this afternoon that model aircraft registrants’ names and home addresses will be public. In an email message, the FAA stated: “Until the drone registry system is modified, the FAA will not release names and address. When the drone registry system is modified to permit public searches of registration numbers, names and addresses will be revealed through those searches.”

I’ve been trying to get to the bottom of whether names and home addresses of model aircraft or hobby drone owners – including children as young as 13 – will be made available by the FAA to the public once the FAA’s new unmanned aircraft registry goes live on Monday. It seems a simple enough question. But it took a while to get a straight answer.

My confusion arose because of an apparent contradiction that a colleague pointed out to me between what the FAA stated in its FAQs on the new registration rule and what the Department of Transportation stated in a legal filing made at the same time as the FAA’s new rule was published. The FAA’s FAQs made it appear that only the FAA, its contractor and law enforcement agencies would have access to the data. Here is the FAA’s FAQ:

1. Who can see the data that I can enter?
   
   A. The FAA will be able to see the data that you enter. The FAA is using a contractor to maintain the website and database, and that contractor also will be able to see the data that you enter. Like the FAA, the contractor is required to comply with strict legal requirements to protect the confidentiality of the personal data you provide. Under certain circumstances, law enforcement officers might also be able to see the data.
   

This led me – and many others I’ve spoken with – to believe that only these three entities would have access to registrants’ personal information. But my colleague pointed out that the DOT’s filing contained the following statement, “all records maintained by the FAA in connection with aircraft registered are included in the Aircraft Registry and made available to the public, except email address and credit card information submitted under part 48 [the new model aircraft registry].”In addition, the DOT statement says the name and address of model aircraft owners will be searchable by registration number.

...Continue reading via the source link below.

Source (Forbes):
http://www.forbes.com/sites/johngog...in-drone-registry-will-be-publicly-available/

I don't really see the big deal. Up until a few years ago, everybody's name and address were in the phone book, for everyone to see without needing a registration number. There's still plenty of people still listed and I'm pretty sure that has only changed because of cell phones, and most people don't have land lines anymore.

While I don't agree with the registration, I am registered because I don't want to deal with the hassles when they somehow start enforcing the rule. I think it'll be enforced at big fly ins first and then move to local fields and parks. This is just my opinion though.

Hi Matt! I think the real issue here is yet another unnecessary government intrusion into our private lives. I have a problem with that. As for the phone book, that entry doesn't connect you with anything other than your phone and if you really don't like that, you can opt out with an unlisted number. I don't think anyone likes what's happening. Most only register out of fear. That doesn't say much for what's going on. It's going to be like guns. There is no chance that the people that are causing all the problems will register so what's the point. It's just the honest and responsible people that might register. The most irritating part of this is that what the FAA has done here is actually illegal. They can't create law, much less law that is contrary to written law. This seems to be how the current administration does everything. They do whatever the hell they want, with a total disregard for the rule of law, and then it stands because nobody has the backbone or the resources to challenge it in court. Think I better stop!

Don't think I've seen you on here before so welcome to the forum. Sorry about the little rant. I see a plane by your name. Is that what you fly? I fly all kinds of stuff including those evil drones. If you're new to the area, most of us fly at Redwood School on Sunday mornings. Would love to meet you there.

...Tiger (aka: John)

I agree, and have written Greg Walden about this, citing the 2012 FAA Modernization and Reform Act. No reply, no surprise...
Older phone books in bigger cities included addresses, not sure if they still do, haven't looked in one in years.

Thanks for the welcome. Not new to the area, kind of new to the hobby though. Built a 250 quad about a year ago, but I don't fly it much. Been big into planes for a few months now, started with scratchbuilt foamies and now mainly gas/glow. I go to church on Sundays, so haven't been to Redwood yet. Plus, not many small planes left in the hangar. Maybe I'll take the quad out there one of these days.

Sounds good Matt. I have church on Sunday mornings as well so I don't get to Redwood until about noon. Most of the action is over by then, but it's still great to go there and hang out with the guys for a while. Most of the regulars go to lunch at Tocos Locos (by Allen creek McDonalds) after flying and that's always a nice get together. Hope you can join us some Sunday.

It's shameful what some gov agencies get away with nowadays. Maybe disgraceful is the better work.

Anyway, one comparison I read that I agree with is automobile license plates. The public at large can't lookup a automobile license plate and learn the personal information of the owner. It would seem to me that the same should be true for any RC models, UAV/Drone or otherwise.

New to the site, area and fairly new to hobby A little bit different here than where I came from. But none the less I like it here and like the less population at areas to fly. All I've met have been great,too.

Hey, I know that guy... Hiya Dave

GPS, the thing with the FAA number, is that it can be very small and/or in the battery compartment(if you don't need tools to access). So, unless you lose your aircraft or someone is examining it very closely, no one should see it if you don't want them to. I'd have to write it down or take a pic to go look it up later, I couldn't remember that long of a number quickly. I'm not at all agreeing with it, just saying the number look up is pretty low on the list of problems. It seems it could be beneficial if you lost a model, but who is gonna know to look the number up and where to look it up?

Maybe I'm just desensitized to personal information, in the marine corps you used your social for everything as it was your ID number. Your last four were written in plain sight on your battle gear.