Under the European Union's proposed regulations, drones will have to be registered so that their owners can be identified. While that won't in itself stop drones from falling, it could lead pilots to take their responsibilities more seriously, legislators hope.

A 1-kilogram (2.2-pound) drone like the Karma falling from as little as 11 meters (around three stories) could kill even someone wearing a safety helmet, according to a calculator developed by the Dropped Object Prevention Scheme, which promotes safety in the oil and gas industry.

Parliament wants to set the threshold for drone registration at 250 grams (a little over a half-pound), almost twice the weight of an iPhone 7. Drones weighing less than that would have to fall on someone wearing protective headgear from 40 meters (12 stories) or more to cause a fatality, according to the DROPS calculator - but a careless or irresponsible drone pilot wouldn't need to kill someone to find themselves in trouble. Much shorter drops could cause injury or property damage.

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