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A6 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 20 May 2017

Appeals court strikes down FAA drone registration rule

DAVID KOENIG said the agency was re- requirement was too
SAM HANANEL viewing the decision. burdensome.“On bal-
Associated Press The ruling demonstrated ance this is probably a
WASHINGTON (AP) — An the schism in the drone good thing,” said Vic
appeals court on Friday world. The Association Moss, a commercial pho-
struck down a Federal for Unmanned Vehicle tographer and drone
Aviation Administration Systems International, operator in Colorado.
rule that required own- whose members include “The FAA definitely over-
ers of drones used for big commercial drone stepped their boundar-
recreation to register operators and manu- ies with the registration,
their craft. facturers, expressed and the fact that they
The ruling was a victory disappointment with called it an emergency
for hobbyists and a set- the court’s ruling. The action didn’t help them
back for the FAA, which group’s president, Brian look good.
cited safety concerns as Wynne, said registration ”Moss was worried, how-
it tried to tighten regula- In this June 11, 2015, file photo, a hexacopter drone is flown dur- “helps create a culture ever, that the issue was
tion of the fast-growing ing a drone demonstration in Cordova, Md. of safety that deters so contentious that the
army of drone opera- Associated Press careless and reckless FAA might successfully
tors. cellphone tower owners Taylor, saying that a law behavior.” He vowed to lobby Congress for clear
Some pilots of commer- were forecast to buy an- passed by Congress seek a legislative fix in authority to regulate
cial airliners have re- other 10 million through and signed by President Congress. hobbyists.Registration
ported close calls with 2020. Barack Obama in 2012 A lawyer for China’s cost $5 and had to be
drones flying near air- The FAA decided in 2015 barred the FAA from im- DJI, the world’s biggest renewed every three
ports. to require hobbyists to posing new regulations drone maker, said reg- years. It required own-
About 760,000 hobbyists register their drones, or on model aircraft. istration was reasonable ers to mark aircraft with
have registered more model aircraft. Violators The three-judge panel and fostered “account- an identification num-
than 1.6 million drones could be sentenced to said that safety was ob- ability and education ber and imposed civil
since 2015, and sales prison. viously important and to drone pilots.” Bren- and criminal penalties
have skyrocketed. The The registration require- making hobbyists regis- dan Schulman said he on those who did not
FAA estimates that hob- ment was challenged by ter “may well help fur- expected more discus- comply.Taylor also chal-
byists will buy 2.3 million John A. Taylor, a drone ther that goal to some sion between indus- lenged FAA restrictions
drones this year and hobbyist in the Washing- degree,” but it was up try and governments on where drones can
13 million by the end of ton, D.C., area. to Congress to repeal over the program.Some operate in the Washing-
2020. Commercial op- The U.S. Court of Appeals the ban on FAA rules for model aircraft enthu- ton area. The court said
erators from photogra- for the District of Colum- model aircraft. siasts had complained that appeal was filed
phers to oil pipeline and bia Circuit agreed with A spokesman for the FAA that the registration too late.q

Authorities identify man who died in ‘92 Los Angeles riots

MICHAEL BALSAMO body was found May 2, Friday were unsuccessful.
Associated Press 1992, inside an auto parts The looting and violence
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A vic- shop that was set ablaze that would turn into one
tim of the 1992 riots in Los during the riots in South Los of the deadliest race riots
Angeles whose identity was Angeles. in American history was
a mystery for 25 years now Investigators have said they sparked after a jury acquit-
has a name: Armando Ortiz were able to lift a single fin- ted four white police offi-
Hernandez. gerprint from Hernandez’s cers in the beating of black
The 18-year-old Hernan- left middle finger. motorist Rodney King. Vid-
dez was recently identified The coroner’s office did eo shot by a citizen cap-
through fingerprints, Los not immediately respond tured officers repeatedly
Angeles County coroner’s to questions Friday about striking, kicking and using a
spokesman Ed Winter said whether Hernandez’s fin- stun gun on King, even af-
Friday. gerprints had been run ter he was on the ground.
In this April 30, 1992 file photo Los Angeles police form a line to Hernandez died of “inha- through databases previ- A total of 53 people were
prevent a crowd from going into a building in a day of fires and lation of smoke, soot, car- ously. killed and more than 2,000
looting in Los Angeles. bon monoxide and ther- Attempts to reach Hernan- injured during several days
Associated Press mal burns,” Winter said. His dez’s family members on of violence.q