State requiring operators to register drones
Commercial drone operators in Iowa may be getting federal approval to fly their unmanned vehicles but they still need to register with state officials.
The Iowa Department of Transportation’s Office of Aviation is treating drones like any other aircraft, Planning and Outreach Manager Tim McClung told the Register.
“We are going to keep them under the same language. We’re doing a watch and see,” McClung said. “We’re going to see if there is anything we learn and if there are any changes we need to make in the future.”
The Federal Aviation Administration has started granting authorizations to companies to start using drones for commercial purposes.
In Iowa, at least 10 individuals or businesses have received authority and plan to use their vehicles for research, real estate, photography or agricultural purposes.
McClung said the aviation office is notified once an aircraft in Iowa is registered with the FAA. Since drone operators have to register their vehicles with the federal agency, the state aviation office is also notified of new unmanned aerial vehicles, he said.
“At this point, the triggering mechanism is once an aircraft is required to be registered with the FAA, then we require (registration) with the Iowa DOT,” he said.
He said the aviation office is giving operators 30 days from when an FAA registration is issued to register with the state.
McClung said his office had not registered any drones as of Monday, but had received calls from two operators about the process.
As for future state rules, he said the Iowa DOT is watching how the FAA handles the emerging world of commercial-drone use.
“This is a new area for us, so one of the things that we’re doing is we’re watching the FAA … we’re keeping an eye on areas of concern,” he said.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/tech/2015/06/09/iowa-drone-operators-register-state/28734669/
