Remote-controlled aircraft that weigh at least 9 ounces flown by hundreds of thousands of hobbyists across the country will have to be registered starting Dec. 21, the Federal Aviation Administration announced Monday.
The owner - whether it's a new purchase or a drone that's been flying for years - will have to register a name, a physical address and an email address with the FAA, as recommended Nov. 21 by a task force of manufacturers, retailers, pilots and hobbyists.
Existing owners will have to register by Feb. 19, 2016, and new buyers will have to register before their first flight.
​The registry marks the latest balancing act for federal regulators who are trying to keep the skies safe as drones increasingly share airspace with passenger planes.