[Porsche-O-Phile]

If the sUAS (drone) is 0.55 or pounds or less (quite a few are now) then it need not be registered. If it is >0.55 pounds (and less than 55 pounds) it needs to be registered as a sUAS. “Hobbyist size” means nothing and has no FAA definition but may be getting used here to refer to those drones that are 0.55 pounds or less, therefore not requiring registration prior to use.

55 pounds or more (like the stuff Seahawk is working on, most likely) follow a different (N-number) process more similar to that used for “regular” manned aircraft but still require registration.

Ignorance of the rules is not going to “fly” as an excuse. They’re not hard to comply with and they’re pretty easy to find. If you use a drone in an irresponsible way then yes it’s very likely you’ll get away with it (you’re more likely to draw the attention / ire of some local yokel cop that really has no jurisdiction to enforce federal regulations and is probably just as ignorant of the applicable regs as you are) but you are still putting yourself in peril - if it gets back to the FAA you can get yourself in very hot water (and quite a few people have!)

In short, know the rules, follow them and don’t be stupid and you should be fine and avoid any unwanted attention - whether legally justifiable or not.

For what it’s worth I hold a sUAS Certificate from the FAA as well as a Commerical Pilot Certificate and Flight Instructor Certificate, so I’m reasonably familiar with his stuff. I also own and fly my own drone periodically for pleasure and for business use (mostly to evaluate building roofs and other elements that are impractical or potentially dangerous to examine any other way in conjunction with my architectural practice)