Clear Skies Needed For Recovery Efforts In Coastal States

Hurricane Matthew is continuing to grind up the Florida coast, heading for Georgia, South and North Carolina. We know it will be very tempting to get aerial video of the damage caused by hurricane Matthew after the storm has passed. But the FAA and AMA are urging all drone and model aircraft hobbyists to stay clear of Hurricane Matthew recovery efforts in areas affected by the storm.

Any unauthorized drone or model aircraft operations that interfere with disaster relief efforts are subject to civil penalties of up to $32,140 per violation and possible criminal prosecution.
 
During emergency response and recovery efforts, authorized aircraft may be flying at low altitudes over the affected areas. The FAA may also place Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) on certain locations around the storm. UAS operators should always check the FAA’s list of TFRs before taking to the skies and must stay clear of ongoing public safety operations at all times.
 
AMA continually shares up-to-date safety and regulatory information with its 195,000 members across the country, including email distribution of the latest TFRs. For more information on where to fly safely, including TFRs and local AMA club locations, visit the Learn sUAS Interactive Map. In addition, anyone with a smartphone can access TFR information through the FAA’s B4UFLY app.
 
"No one should be flying near disaster relief or recovery efforts, air ambulance or search-and-rescue operations unless they’re supporting those efforts,” said Dave Mathewson, executive director of AMA. “Keeping the skies clear during this critical time will help ensure that first responders can do their jobs safely.”

(Source: AMA news release. National Hurricane Center image)

FMI: https://pilotweb.nas.faa.gov, www.modelaircraft.org