AMA: Proposed FAA Drone Rules Will Have Little Impact On Hobbyists

Chad Budreau, Executive Director at the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA), issued a statement in response to the FAA’s notice of proposed rulemaking on the Operation of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems over People, and Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Safe and Secure Operations of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems.

“The proposed rulemakings on flying over people, night flying, and safe and secure operations are a step toward opening up the airspace for more commercial UAS operators. For model aircraft hobbyists, however, we do not anticipate these rules will have a significant impact on our existing guidelines for safe and responsible operation," Budeau (pictured) said in the statement.
 
“Model aircraft flights over people are currently not allowed under AMA’s community-based safety guidelines. We believe this is a sound and proven safety guideline for all recreational UAS operators. At the same time, we understand that some commercial applications present the need for UAS to fly over people for effective and efficient operations. We believe these operations should be allowed, provided they can be done safely and any potential risk to people on the ground is appropriately mitigated.
 
“In addition, AMA’s safety guidelines allow night flying as long as a lighting system that provides the pilot with a clear view of the model’s attitude and orientation at all times is in place. We believe this policy continues to make sense and, at first glance, is similar to what the FAA is proposing.
 
“AMA’s safety guidelines also address several of the questions raised in the ANPRM for Safe and Secure Operations of Small UAS. For example, according to the safety guidelines, model aircraft are not allowed to be operated closer than 25 feet away from an individual except for the operator, with few exceptions. AMA also has varying guidelines for model aircraft with different capabilities.
 
“Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, AMA recognizes that one of the FAA’s top priorities is to put remote identification rules in place to better facilitate the integration of UAS into the nation’s airspace and address security concerns. We continue to ask for FAA collaboration in adopting remote identification requirements that reflect the operational use of UAS – model aircraft, under AMA’s safety programming, pose no new risk to the airspace, therefore the remote identification rules for model aircraft operations should be more flexible.”
 
In 2016, AMA President Rich Hanson participated in FAA’s Micro UAS Aviation Rulemaking Committee, which made recommendations on the regulatory framework for small UAS flights over people. At that time, the AMA expressed some concerns about allowing recreational UAS flights over people primarily because of safety. In addition, the organization was concerned that the public would be sensitive to drones flying over their heads – concerns that are still valid today.

Brian Wynne, AUVSI president and CEO, said the FAA rulemakings will help advance the commercial UAS industry beyond the current regulatory framework.

"Expanded operations such as operations over people are currently allowed through the FAA’s waiver process on a case-by-case basis, and CNN and State Farm are among the companies already conducting these flights safely. A rule that allows for widespread operations over people without requiring a waiver will allow more operators to harness the great potential of UAS," Wynne (pictured) said.

"The FAA’s separate call for comments on a proposed rule concerning operational limitations, airspace restrictions, hardware requirements, and associated identification and tracking technologies will further shape a national UAS policy. We are very encouraged by the announcement of these proposed rulemakings, and AUVSI welcomes this opportunity to provide comments on these policies, after our members have reviewed and analyzed them, to continue to move the industry forward."

(Source: AMA news release. Image from file)

FMI: AMA Safety Guidelines, www.auvsi.org