AMA Takes Flight with AirMap
AMA Integrates AirMap Situational Awareness Platform for Drones
MUNCIE, IN—The Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA), the nation’s largest organization for model aircraft enthusiasts, has partnered with AirMap, the world’s leading airspace management platform for unmanned aircraft.
The AMA has a long history of safe, responsible flight and is dedicated to the advancement and safeguarding of model aircraft activities. Now with AirMap, the AMA has the ability to increase existing education efforts and provide sUAS pilots with the knowledge that they need to operate within the rules and regulations of the national airspace.
“AMA is excited about our new partnership with AirMap. The tools that AirMap provides will be a real asset in helping to educate our members about sUAS and help ensure that we continue to fly safely and responsibly,” said Dave Mathewson, AMA executive director.
“Having begun my aviation career as a modeler, I know first-hand the immense value AMA provides hobbyist UAS operators,” said Ben Marcus, CEO of AirMap. “We’re excited to partner with AMA to bring its members the most accurate, up-to-date airspace intelligence for planning and flying their missions.”
With the AirMap web, iOS, and Android apps, AMA pilots can:
- Locate an AMA club flying field.
- View airspace rules tailored to the context of their missions.
- Plan and manage flights, including future flights.
AMA pilots with a Part 107 license can also use AirMap’s mobile apps to request digital Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) authorization in US-controlled airspace at participating locations.
For more information about AirMap, or to download the AirMap app, visit https://amaflightschool.org/educator/airmap.
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About the Academy of Model Aeronautics
The Academy of Model Aeronautics serves as the nation’s collective voice for approximately 190,000 modelers in 2,400 clubs in the US and Puerto Rico. Headquartered in Muncie, AMA is a membership organization representing those who fly model aircraft. For more information, visit www.learnsuas.org.
About AirMap
AirMap is the world’s leading airspace management platform for drones. Millions of drones, hundreds of drone manufacturers and developers, and hundreds of airspace managers and stakeholders rely on AirMap’s airspace intelligence and services to fly safely and communicate with others in low-altitude airspace. Learn more at www.airmap.com.
Better check the database you supplied to AirMap. There’s two locations shown for the State College PA RC club. I was formerly a member of that club, and they have only one flying site.
This could be good news. Also badly needed is for the FAA to:
1. Provide airport phone numbers with its B4U Fly app, which is useless when you’re in a new area and cannot find an airport’s phone number.
2. Remove the many closed airports from the list! Two are in my area. One has an unlisted number. Both no longer have or service aircraft. Yet the FAA has ignored my requests to remove these non-existent airports from their list. One FAA staffer even told me the rules require me to call the unlisted numbers! (He then laughed about the silliness of the rule.)
3. Send demand notices to the YouTube drone pilots who consistently violate the safety rules. They are directly responsible for the movement to ban or severely curtail all hobby drones.
Hi Forrest, thank you for your comments. While the FAA’s B4U Fly App has some benefits, we suggest also using https://suas.modelaircraft.org/clubs-map and AirMap’s app as it provides airport contact information and phone numbers. Because FAA’s airport database includes old information all mapping programs will include the closed airports your mentioned, which is one reason why AMA is working with Congress to refine and streamline the airport notification process in the next FAA Reauthorization bill later this year.
-Chad Budreau
Director of Public Relations and Government Affairs
So does the AMA partnership with Airmap mean they endorse its use or does the partnership go further? For those of us who use Airmap either via web or on our smartphone app, do I understand your announcement correctly that those who are not AMA members will no longer have access to these tools? Your announcement seems to far beyond AMA endorsing Airmap to imply EXCLUSIVITY with Airmap saying:
AMA pilots can:
Locate an AMA club flying field.
View airspace rules tailored to the context of their missions.
Plan and manage flights, including future flights.
AirMap is lobbying for local regulations like the Feinstein bill! Why would the AMA want to partner with a company that may potentially kill the UAS industry for small businesses?!
Do not download any app using AirMap’s platform
I use this app for part 107 UAS flights and it is excellent. Looking forward to the LAANC authorization for airports near me – that will be a game changer in the commercial space.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Disgusting! Plainly disgusting.
Maybe the leadership at the AMA were not paying attention when AirMap (pronounced “AirCrap”) voiced support for the Feinstein Drone Legislation that would effective end both the industry and hobby by shifting jurisdiction of airspace to state and local authorities. This move would allow for the creation of a vast inconsistent patchwork of regulations, permits (with varying fee structures), and outright no fly zones across entire swaths of cities and/or counties without basis for need. AirMap voiced their support as they want to be a subscription based business model as the go to resource to figure out the regulations at a given location. Model aircraft operators saw fit to dump AirMap after that announcement. Their app took rating hits in iTunes and the Play store. The AMA choosing to partner with AirCrap is a disgrace.
Looks good
Why does Airmap want or need so much of our personal information?
That’s all fine and dandy but, it’s my contention that our AMA chartered R/C flight fields should also be on full scale pilots maps (charts). Many times in my 30+ years of R/C flying I’ve seen full scale crafts come across our flight field under 400′ because our field is within the farm lands. As they approach they’re below the tree line to our line of site (how we fly) and “appear” seemingly from nowhere and “instantly” to us. Many others will loiter about our field in not knowing of the Dangers that our craft represent, we see them pointing out our craft and chatting of them and circling about to see them again in being completely unaware of the inherent Dangers. So far AMA pilots in being strongly prompted by AMA have done a great job of keeping our skies both shared and safe and God only knows how many of these situations all to often occur throughout the States. We don’t often have R.C jets at our field but do from time to time; 250+ Mph @ 25+ pounds (easy) could leave more than a mark (hint). Full Scale pilots should be “made aware” of the locations of our long lived and “permanent” flight fields and of the inherent dangers of being within a 1 mile radius of them. For safety sake both sides should be made aware of each other, we’ve (AMA members) been very prudent and responsive to intrusions (sorry, that’s what it is sometimes) and have “kept them safe” but it’s high time that both sides of the coin should be made aware of each other, right now we (AMA members) are the “half” that’s been avoiding all the potential collisions of the “blind” (via uninformed ignorance) full scale pilots. Fix this before someone gets killed flying over or “round and about” an AMA Chartered R/C flight field. All balsa models are a thing of the past; composites and fast 25 lb + models are the present norm. All I’m asking is for them to be made “aware of us” to “progress” the safety of our shared skies. I fail to recognize why “a mutual awareness” hasn’t happened yet; I guess it takes deaths to awaken the “simple logic” that I’ve suggested here!
AMA pilots have been Concerned vigil and aware (and sometimes lucky) in avoiding conflict with full scale aircraft from our “one side” ; You’re Welcome! I’m worried!
There is an extra line in the Fly For Fun rules that should be edited out. This line:
“Give notice for flights with 5 miles of an airport” is misspelled and redundant.
The next line is properly spelled:
Give notice for flights within 5 miles of an airport
As a new-comer to AMA, but a long-time member of AOPA [Airplane Owners and Pilot Assn], I am thankful for this safety reminder.
I know AOPA has recently opened a corner to “drone” pilots and this should help some.
AOPA is an excellent and effective force in FAA-certificated oil of on-going education.
In light of this post, I’m wondering if AMA has opened conversation with AOPA regarding this poignant and important subject. If not, I encourage the conversation.
You are right…for lack of awareness, serious, if not deadly consequences could ensue.
Thank you, modelers, for your respect and diligence on the field. Nobody wants a crash, of any type. Communication is the answer, I believe.
AOPA could be a conduit.
Correction…not FAA certificate *OIL, FAA-certificate pilot….*
I am a lifetime AMA member, and I am not happy about this poisonous partnership. Regular fixed wing pilots should be just as wary of this as multirotor pilots undoubtedly are.
AirMap actively lobbied for the highly destructive Drone Federalism Act of 2017, which would divy up airspace control between local governments, resulting in a “patchwork” of fractured and contradictory UAV laws and regulations (which would affect traditional fixed wing airframes).
Why does AirMap lobby for legislation like the Drone Federalism Act? Local governments are setting up permit fees for access to the Public airspace, and AirMap will collect flight data on behalf of the local government, for a portion of that permit fee.
If that is not bad enough, Ben Marcus the CEO of AirMap, made the news in 2015 for attempting to set up a system that would effectively (if not legally) cede authority of the public airspace above individual pieces of property, to the property owner in the form of geofenced No Fly Zones! This flies directly in the face of the concept that the National Airspace is part of the Public Commons. It is a public thorough fare, paid for and maintained by the U.S. taxpayer, who deserves access to it regardless of whether or not they are piloting a full size Cessna, or a radio controlled airplane.
Partnering with AirMap equates to participation in building the infrastructure for granular monitoring and control of our flights, that we will literally pay for. It is bad for modelers.
There are better ways to educate members. There are better ways to help members coordinate their flights.
For the last several years I have actively defended and promoted the AMA in the many forums that I participate in. I am thankful for Special Rule 336, and the various methods that the AMA uses to foster interest in RC modeling. With that said, this destructive partnership between the AMA and AirMap has me reconsidering my dedication to the defense of the organization, and the wisdom of purchasing the lifetime membership itself.
Please reconsider this decision. Stand by your members and part ways with AirMap. Do the right thing.
AirMap is lobbying in FAVOR of localities making their own rules regarding airspace. This would make it nearly impossible to navigate (unless you USE airmap). Isn’t the AMA aware of this? I’m a lifetime member, or I’d pull my membership over this one…
Retired and an ex air traffic controller with ARTCC, FSS, Tower, Tracon experience, Commercial pilot, and RC pilot(AMA) since 1965, I sincerely hope someone realizes that there is another important “SIDE” to this equation. The Air Traffic Controller. I would hope the FAA’s on top of the situation. Would be great if their radar & map cartographers, put permanent, sanctioned fields on their media. There’s not many smart full-size aircraft pilots flying around that don’t talk to a controller en-route. Regardless, in this day and age, you should never fly without a spotter – NEVER! Why? Because STUPID is always out there – alive and well.
Our flying club which is over 20 years old does not show up on airmap. What do we need to do?