AMA Welcomes Changes To Special Flight Rules In The National Capital Area
Dave Mathewson, executive director of the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) is pleased that the FAA has eased its restrictions on model aircraft and other UAV flights in the Washington, D.C. area.
The FAA announced changes in the rules for the DC Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) Tuesday.
“We are pleased that after weeks of working closely with the AMA and our local chartered clubs, the FAA today updated the conditions for flying unmanned aircraft in the Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) surrounding the DC metropolitan area," Mathewson (pictured) said in the statement. "The permanent Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) published by the FAA allows our members to resume flight inside the DC SFRA. We want to thank Administrator Huerta and the FAA for working closely with us so that our 14 chartered clubs in the area can now return to safe operations starting on February 10.
“AMA has long worked collaboratively with the FAA to find solutions that allow for our long-time educational hobby to continue without incident in our nation’s airspace. Our members consistently abide by federal and local policies and for decades have followed AMA’s comprehensive set of safety and privacy guidelines, which are constantly evolving to accommodate new technologies and new modeling disciplines.
“For 80 years, our members have been flying safely and responsibly. However, it is critically important that everyone wishing to fly inside the Special Flight Rules Area abide by the conditions established for the SFRA and continue to follow the safety guidelines. That’s part of the reason why AMA has been working closely with the FAA and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) on the Know Before You Fly campaign to educate newcomers to model aviation and drone technology about where they should and shouldn’t fly. Our community-based approach is proof that education is the key to enhancing safety.”
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