The FAA has experienced a 50% decline in new registrations and renewals for UAS via faadronezone.faa.gov. The total number of registrations fell from 1,746,248 to 868,421 between December 2020 and March 2021, comprising 492,492 recreational fliers and 375,929 commercially registered drones. The FAA attributes this drop to registrations to reaching the end of their three-year expiration date. The first round of expirations occurred on December 12, 2020.
AMA has maintained that recreational FAA registration numbers are higher than the actual amount of current UAS operators. Many of the recreational FAA registrations were newcomers to the hobby, or those who received UAS as gifts. AMA fully expected these attrition rates at the December 2020 renewal deadline.
To register your model aircraft with the FAA, visit faadronezone.faa.gov. For assistance in registering your model aircraft, click here. For assistance in renewing your registration, click here.
To remain current with the most recent government-related news, regularly visit the AMA Government Affairs blog.
If you have any further questions or concerns, contact the Government Affairs department at (765) 287-1256 or amagov@modelaircraft.org.