Over the past couple of years, the popularity of unmanned aerial system (UAS) has increased, resulting in an explosion of amazing footage. With the introduction of more affordable models like the DJI Spark, there is the possibility that the trend may well continue to grow. While it was previously required for those piloting a UAS to register with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for a small fee, that decision has now been reversed.
The reason for this change is that the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia invalidated the registration process imposed by the FAA in 2015, stating that those who are not using their UAS for commercial purposes would not need to register. Anyone who registered, paid the $5 fee, and purely flying for fun will be entitled to a refund.
If curious about the process and how you can remove yourself from the registry, you can navigate to the source link below. Although it is now voluntary for some, the FAA is still encouraging registrations of UAS.
Source: Federal Aviation Administration via Recode