Hello to everyone in this big community,

I have a simple question and I'm very sorry if this one was already covered in other thread.

I'm from Bulgaria - Eastern Europe, and I'm considering ordering Mavic Air (Starter Pack, not Fly More Combo), but I'll be using my relatives address at Colorado Springs.

My simple quesion is ... will it be possible for them (my relatives) to transport the drone for me from USA (Denver Airport, to NY airport and then from NY to Frankfurt Germany and then from Frankfurt to Sofia - Bulgaria) without registering the Mavic Air (drone/aircraft) in accordance with the following:

"
Register Your Drone (If Necessary)

Some countries require that users register their drones before flight. Registration makes it so users can more easily locate their drone if it flies away or be held accountable if they fly irresponsibly. In the United States, anyone with a drone weighing over 0.55 lbs (250 g) is required to register their drone with the FAA. To register, make an account on the FAA’s website and pay the five dollar registration fee.

After making an account, you’ll receive a code that needs to be marked somewhere on your drone. Write the number on a small sticky label and place it on a part of the drone that won’t affect operation, like on the side of the drone or inside the battery compartment.  Just make sure not to cover any of the vision or ultrasonic sensors."

As far as I understand, the registration is not mandatory thing and I'm saying it, because the drone will be a present for my kid (not a citizent of USA), of course it will be unpacked from it's original packaging box to be carried at the hand lugage (or inside the big suitcase, please what are you going to advise me about where to be carried? )...

So my concerns are:

1. At the airports (in the USA and out of the USA too), is there a chance without any registration of the drone, to be confiscated at any airport, because of a lack of registration of the aircrat or there is no possibility to be confiscated ?

2. I assume that if the drone is not in its original package, it is a smart move, because it will be counted as a personal device and not as a potential "thing" for sell.

Thank in advance for your kind help in advance.

In germany you have to "register" aka mark it with name and adress too, but this is just the case if you fly that thing. If you don't plan to fly it elsewhere and you don't have that regulation in Bulgraia I wouldn't worry.

If you do not fly the drone in the US, there is no need to register it. Also, be aware that airlines will not allow the batteries in checked luggages, so the batteries should be in hand luggage.

So my concerns are:

1. At the airports (in the USA and out of the USA too), is there a chance without any registration of the drone, to be confiscated at any airport, because of a lack of registration of the aircrat or there is no possibility to be confiscated ?

FAA Registration is not required unless it is put in the air.


2. I assume that if the drone is not in its original package, it is a smart move, because it will be counted as a personal device and not as a potential "thing" for sell.

Agreed, you may have custom fees required if it is in the "Sealed" original package, if the package is opened just get rid of the minor boxes/plastic bags that hold the bits & pieces then put everything back in the original box it should not be a problem as it is just your carry case.

Please note, in the USA, it is the PILOT who is registered, with the FAA, not the aircraft. Once the pilot is registered, the pilot's registration number must be attached to the aircraft, but ONLY if that aircraft is flown outside within the USA.

If it's not going to be flown in the USA, just transported from city to city (airport to airport) and then exported to another country, no registration of any kind is required within the USA.

Possession of a drone in the USA does not require registration, only flying in the USA.

Wow, thank you guys for the lightening fast answers and thank you for encouraging me to order it even now Once again BIG THANK YOU !!!

Sorry a bit out of subject, but they didn't remove the registration recently in USA ?

Vincent. Posted at 2018-1-31 06:31
Sorry a bit out of subject, but they didn't remove the registration recently in USA ?

They did.
And Trump put it back again.

Jyunte Posted at 2018-1-31 11:47
They did.
And Trump put it back again.

Nope, Trump did NOT put it back in, the Congress slipped it into another bill that Trump signed into law. Trump may not have even known it was there.

FatherXmas Posted at 2018-1-31 12:00
Nope, Trump did NOT put it back in, the Congress slipped it into another bill that Trump signed into law. Trump may not have even known it was there.

If it was in a bill that Trump signed into law, then Trump put the law back into effect when he signed the bill. Let's not argue semantics.

Jyunte Posted at 2018-1-31 13:12
If it was in a bill that Trump signed into law, then Trump put the law back into effect when he signed the bill. Let's not argue semantics.

No, let's not argue semantics: the President doesn't make laws. Congress does.

Gimpy Posted at 2018-1-31 13:42
No, let's not argue semantics: the President doesn't make laws. Congress does.

"Federal laws generally apply to people living in the United States and its territories. Congress creates and passes bills. The President then signs those bills into law." USA.gov
But again, we're arguing semantics, and it's a strawman argument at that. I did not say Trump created a law. I said he put it back... Which he did when he signed the bill containing the registration requirement into law, for the second time.

Jyunte Posted at 2018-1-31 14:58
"Federal laws generally apply to people living in the United States and its territories. Congress creates and passes bills. The President then signs those bills into law." USA.gov
But again, we're arguing semantics, and it's a strawman argument at that. I did not say Trump created a law. I said he put it back... Which he did when he signed the bill containing the registration requirement into law, for the second time.

Then by your reasoning Obama is the one who "put it" there in the first place.

So back to flying with your drone on an airplane, I just traveled to NY from LAX, I just put it in my backpack with my laptop with 3 batteries.
There were no questions ask. One airport I had to take out the electronics, the TSA took a look - said Cool, and pushed my bag through the X-ray

Gimpy Posted at 2018-1-31 15:07
Then by your reasoning Obama is the one who "put it" there in the first place.

You can make all the strawman arguments you like, but I don't have to address them. I'll argue the correctness of my own statements, if you really want me to, but I'm not going to defend statements I did not make. Again, Trump signed it into law, and registration is currently in effect, again.

Jyunte Posted at 2018-1-31 15:50
You can make all the strawman arguments you like, but I don't have to address them. I'll argue the correctness of my own statements, if you really want me to, but I'm not going to defend statements I did not make. Again, Trump signed it into law, and registration is currently in effect, again.

Whoa defensive on this thread. So true Jyunte! Very true. Strawman all round.