FAA: Drone registration eclipses that of regular planes

USA Today reported: February 8, 2016
FAA: Drone registration eclipses that of regular planes

WASHINGTON – The number of drones potentially flying in U.S. skies has eclipsed the number of piloted aircraft — from Cessnas to Dreamliners, the Federal Aviation Administration said Monday.

More than 325,000 people registered their drones as of Friday, FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said. That surpasses the 320,000 piloted aircraft registered with the agency. And the numbers could actually be higher, Huerta said, because one registration covers all the drones a person owns. The average operator has 1.5 drones, he said.

The registration numbers show the surging popularity of remote-controlled aircraft, which are flooding airspace already packed with passenger planes and leading to concerns over midair collisions. About 7,000 planes fly in U.S. skies any time during the day, according to the FAA, along with an untold number of drones.
Full article:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/02/08/faa-drone-registration-eclipses-regular-planes/80002730/