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The government is going to make you register your drone

drone flying
A pilot (C) flies a drone at the 4th Intergalactic Meeting of Phantom's Pilots (MIPP) in an open secure area in the Bois de Boulogne, western Paris, March 16, 2014. Drone operators in France are required to complete a training course to fly an unmanned aerial vehicle and also receive written approval for flights in urban areas. Picture taken March 16, 2014. Reuters/Charles Platiau

If you get a drone for Christmas, be ready to register it with the US government.

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The Federal Aviation Administration announced its mandatory registration program on Monday, about two weeks ahead of Christmas.

According to the new FAA rules, all drone owners who own a device between half a pound to 55 pounds must register the unmanned aircraft with the government using their name, address, and email.

Drone owners will then receive a Certificate of Aircraft Registration with a unique registration number. Consumers will also be required to have the certificate on them while operating the drone, according to the new rules.

There will also be a $5 registration fee, however, the FAA is waiving the fee for the first 30 days registration is open.

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The federal law will officially go into effect on December 21 and those who do not register their drone will be subject to civil and criminal penalties, which could include fines up to $250,000 and/or up to three years of imprisonment.

It’s important to note that drone owners who use the device for commercial purposes must continue to register their unmanned aircraft via the paper process that was formerly established.

In October, the FAA formed a task force to come up with recommended rules for registering consumer drones. Late last month, the task force proposed the rules that are being put in place. 

The FAA said that it aimed to get the rules in place before Christmas because it expects hundreds of thousands of new drones to be gifted this holiday season and wants a way to keep track of them all. 

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Of course, the government won't be keeping tabs on your drone every time it takes flight. Rather, the ultimate aim is to force accountability and help educate people about how to safely fly their device. 

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