On December 14, 2015, the FAA issued the much-anticipated "Registration and Marking Requirements for Small Unmanned Aircraft Interim Final Rule." The incongruously named rule requires all operators of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS)—drones weighing between .55 and 55 pounds—to register their drones through the FAA's new web-based process. The registration process will be available starting December 21, 2015, and will apply to new and existing drones.

In light of the FAA's announcement of the drone registry, we've revisited our recent analysis of its authority to require registration. To read the full alert, click here.

Because of the generality of this update, the information provided herein may not be applicable in all situations and should not be acted upon without specific legal advice based on particular situations.

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