Unmanned aircraft: identification requirements.

Existing federal law, the Federal Aviation Administration Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, provides for the integration of civil and public unmanned aircraft systems, commonly known as drones, into the national airspace system. Existing federal law generally requires an aircraft to be registered with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) , prohibits a person from operating a United States registered aircraft unless that aircraft displays specified nationality and registration marks, and, unless authorized by the FAA, prohibits a person from placing on any aircraft a design, mark, or symbol that modifies or confuses those nationality and registration marks. This bill would require, beginning January 1, 2017, a person or public or private entity that owns or operates an unmanned aircraft, as defined, to place specified identifying information or digitally store identifying information on that unmanned aircraft. The bill would exempt model aircraft, as defined, from that requirement. The bill would make a person or entity that violates that provision liable for a civil fine not to exceed $2,500. The bill would authorize the Attorney General, a district attorney, county counsel, or a city attorney to bring an action to recover that fine, as specified.