The FAA issued a statement on Wednesday warning drone owners to steer clear of people and companies offering to help register their drones with the agency. According to the FAA, it “neither regulates these entities nor will speculate on their legitimacy” and cautions that some of the vendors offering these services have made attempts to mimic the look of the FAA’s website, use the FAA logo or suggest that they are FAA-approved.
The agency says it has received reports of people being charged up to $150 for registration assistance. For hobbyists flying unmanned aircraft under 55 pounds, registration costs $5 and the application form can be completed on the FAA’s website. Once a recreational use application is approved, the applicant is given an identification number that can be used on all drones they own (that fall under the recreational use category) without incurring additional registration fees.
The FAA is strongly advising drone owners not to register their unmanned aircraft anywhere but at the FAA Drone Zone which, the agency says, is “the only way to make sure your drone is legally registered and that you’ve gotten your money’s worth.”
