Scott L. Vernick was quoted in the Los Angeles Times article, "That Drone You Want for Christmas Will Likely Need To Be Registered." Full text can be found in the October 19, 2015, issue, but a synopsis is below.
With drones becoming increasingly popular and a growing number of incidents taking place – including more than 40 instances since April 2014 where pilots encountered drones while approaching Los Angeles International Airport – federal regulators have announced plans to require most recreational drone use to be registered.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is already working on rules governing commercial drone use, but has joined state and local governments in trying to rein in recreational drone use.
"There's no doubt there's all kind of havoc being wrought in the sky at the moment with all these drones flying around," said Scott L. Vernick, a noted privacy attorney.
Vernick noted he is not sure that registering drones would be enough to deter dangerous operations.
He believes the FAA has the authority to require registration, but doesn't think that measure is enough to ensure the safety the agency is seeking.
He also wondered whether the sale of drones between two individuals would require registration and questioned whether enough of a crashed drone would remain to identify its registration number.
"It's a good first step, but as a practical matter, I think there are questions about what it actually accomplishes," Vernick said.
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