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Do you need an N number for a commercial drone?

RickMC

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I was just wondering if commercial drone operators are required to get an “N” number? My drones were registered online on the FAA Drone zone site and my registrations start with “FA”. I paid $10 to reserve an N number but I’m not sure if it’s even required for commercial drones. Thanks.
 
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I was just wondering if commercial drone operators are required to get an “N” number? My drones were registered online on the FAA Drone zone site and my registrations start with “FA”. I paid $10 to reserve an N number but I’m not sure if it’s even required for commercial drones. Thanks.

Commercial drone operators flying under Part 107 are not required to obtain "N" numbers. Getting an FA number at the FAA Drone Zone site is just fine.
 
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I was just wondering if commercial drone operators are required to get an “N” number? My drones were registered online on the FAA Drone zone site and my registrations start with “FA”. I paid $10 to reserve an N number but I’m not sure if it’s even required for commercial drones. Thanks.
No. I do have N numbers on all of mine, just a personal preference.
 
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I'm like @LUIS MARTINEZ and have an aircraft with an N# but all of our aircraft registered since the online portal came online (see what I did there LOL) have been via the portal and not the N# method. The N# is a lot more hassle to obtain (The form is a PITA and requires no mistakes/mark throughs etc) and if you want to transfer/sell/donate your aircraft it's an even bigger hassle. It's treated like transferring a title to a full sized aircraft and the paperwork do to so is nothing short of RIDICULOUS! We lost an aircraft in the local lake and the process to transfer the N# was almost comical. That's when we said "Never again" LOL.

Some states routinely check the FAA logs for "Registered Aircraft" and many people with N#'s on their sUAS have gotten a letter from their state requesting TAXES be paid on their "Registered" aircraft.

Just food for thought.
 
I'm like @LUIS MARTINEZ and have an aircraft with an N# but all of our aircraft registered since the online portal came online (see what I did there LOL) have been via the portal and not the N# method. The N# is a lot more hassle to obtain (The form is a PITA and requires no mistakes/mark throughs etc) and if you want to transfer/sell/donate your aircraft it's an even bigger hassle. It's treated like transferring a title to a full sized aircraft and the paperwork do to so is nothing short of RIDICULOUS! We lost an aircraft in the local lake and the process to transfer the N# was almost comical. That's when we said "Never again" LOL.

Some states routinely check the FAA logs for "Registered Aircraft" and many people with N#'s on their sUAS have gotten a letter from their state requesting TAXES be paid on their "Registered" aircraft.

Just food for thought.

The state of Florida got me on the "Aircraft Tax" for a DJI Flame Wheel 450 and 550 plus an Inspire 1. Lots of extra paperwork to do. I now only use the online registrations.
 
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Ok, so I reserved this N number over three weeks ago and have not heard anything regarding its status. I also completely forgot the exact N number I reserved, LOL. Does it usually take a while to officially get the N number and is there any way I can check on the status of the one I reserved? Thanks.
 
You went ahead and reserved N#? You've opened a can of worms for yourself my friend.

You could have used the suggested online portal and saved yourself time, money, and hassle going down the road. Learn from OUR mistakes gass-hoppa.
 
You went ahead and reserved N#? You've opened a can of worms for yourself my friend.

You could have used the suggested online portal and saved yourself time, money, and hassle going down the road. Learn from OUR mistakes gass-hoppa.
Well I had already reserved it before I even made this thread, as my first post indicates. My drones are already registered through the FAA drone site and I thought why not get an N number just for the hell of it. Even though I reserved it, do I really have to do anything with it? Do I have to assign it to an aircraft? Also it’s been almost a month and I’ve heard nothing regarding my reservation.
 
Well I had already reserved it before I even made this thread, as my first post indicates. My drones are already registered through the FAA drone site and I thought why not get an N number just for the hell of it. Even though I reserved it, do I really have to do anything with it? Do I have to assign it to an aircraft? Also it’s been almost a month and I’ve heard nothing regarding my reservation.

No you can just leave them "reserved" and the reservation will expire. I don't recall how long they are reserved but it's not forever. I would imagine they "might" send you a notice near the expiration period but they may not.
 
No you can just leave them "reserved" and the reservation will expire. I don't recall how long they are reserved but it's not forever. I would imagine they "might" send you a notice near the expiration period but they may not.
Ok cool, thanks. Think I might just do that and avoid the hassle you are telling me about. Definitely don’t want that. Got my two drones registered on the FAA drone zone under Part 107, so if that’s all I need then I won’t bother with the N number.
 
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Ok cool, thanks. Think I might just do that and avoid the hassle you are telling me about. Definitely don’t want that. Got my two drones registered on the FAA drone zone under Part 107, so if that’s all I need then I won’t bother with the N number.

That's all you need and you do not want to add the "Other" numbers. An aircraft can only be registered 1x so the other #'s are just "extra".

You're good to go in terms of registration so long as they are both done on the Commercial side (each has thier own reg #).

Safe flights :)
 
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I had just about forgotten that I had signed up for an N number when today in the mail came a letter from the FAA saying my number has been reserved and if I don't assign it to an aircraft within the year, the reservation will expire. I guess I'm just gonna let it expire then!
 
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Going to resurrect for a second. I am getting an N Number to be able to fly my drone legally out of the country, where allowed and in accordance with that country's laws. According to the FAA, I can register for an N Number on a UAS that is already registered via the web portal.

One said that I must then deregister my UAS on the web portal once I get the N number so it is not double registered. Another FAA employee told me that it did not matter and it could be double numbered. Anybody know for sure?
 
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The F hobbyist numbers are completely separate and unrelated to the N numbers and unlike the N#, the F# is assigned to you, not the UAS. N#s are unique to each aircraft. I have an F3 just for the hell of it but all my UAS have N numbers.
Two separate databases.
 
The F hobbyist numbers are completely separate and unrelated to the N numbers and unlike the N#, the F# is assigned to you, not the UAS. N#s are unique to each aircraft. I have an F3 just for the hell of it but all my UAS have N numbers.
Two separate databases.

@LUIS MARTINEZ that's not entirely true sir. You can also get F# for your aircraft via the Drone Portal for Commercial use. Having and F# does not dictate hobby sUAS use. I have both. My older aircraft are N# and all newer ones have their own unique F# from the Drone Portal.

F# does not denote whether Commercial or Hobby. I know it's hard to believe the FAA would make something any more confusing than it already is.

One said that I must then deregister my UAS on the web portal once I get the N number so it is not double registered. Another FAA employee told me that it did not matter and it could be double numbered. Anybody know for sure?

If your sUAS is already registered via the Drone Portal as a Commercial Aircraft (listed on your Part 107 Dashboard) then yes you'll need to un-register it because that # is linked directly to the aircraft's serial #. I don't have the link but somewhere on the FAA website it states that an aircraft can have ONE and only ONE registration #. Keep in mind this is in lieu of the HOBBY registration because that # is assigned to the operator and the same # is applied to all of his/her aircraft that are flown strictly for hobby. If the aircraft is flown even ONE time for Commercial Use it must be registered as such.

If you need assistance use this email address:
[email protected]

Here's a link to sUAS N# registration on the FAA's website:
Aircraft Registry – Aircraft Registration: Unmanned Aircraft (UA)
 

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