As you may know, a bipartisan group of United States Senators has introduced legislation known as the “Drone Federalism Act” that would give state and local governments some authority to restrict drone and model aircraft flights under 200 feet.
If enacted, this proposal could make life more complicated for our members, leading to a patchwork of confusing and restrictive state and local laws. We take this proposal very seriously and are actively working to counter it.
AMA, along with 13 other organizations, sent a letter to members of Congress urging them not to pass legislation relating to the governance of the national airspace until the FAA’s Drone Advisory Committee (DAC) has reached consensus recommendations on the proper role of state and local governments. AMA is a member of the DAC and an integral part of this collaborative effort to provide guidance to the federal government on state and local authority.
In addition to the letter, AMA is also meeting directly with members of Congress and their staffs to express our concerns about the pending federal legislation. Our hope is that Congress will table the bill and defer to the consensus recommendations of model aviation and drone industry stakeholders who have been working collaboratively on this issue for some time.
We have attached a copy of the letter for you to read and will keep you updated if anything progresses. As always, we want to extend our appreciation to all members for your continued support.
