You may have seen coverage of a hearing on Capitol Hill yesterday about emerging uses for UAS, as well as an FAA report released this week about drone airborne collisions. Some in Washington have responded to these developments by calling for more regulation and blaming hobbyists generally. We’re writing to share with you our […]
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Third Quarter Government Relations Update 2017
Over the past few months, the AMA Government Relations team has been hard at work representing – and protecting – the model aircraft hobby in Washington, D.C. and across the country. We wanted to share with you some of our work and progress during the third quarter of 2017. Federal […]
Continue readingAMA President Promotes Drone Safety During Speaking Tour in Virginia
Recently, AMA partnered with the Virginia Department of Aviation (DOAV), the Aircraft Owners and Pilot Association (AOPA) and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) to host a series of safety seminars across Virginia. As a part of these events, AMA President Rich Hanson spoke about how to safely […]
Continue readingSinger’s Victory in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
Yesterday, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued a favorable decision in a lawsuit brought by Newton, Massachusetts resident Dr. Michael Singer. The Court ruled that a local ordinance severely restricting unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operations in Newton is in violation of the federal government’s authority to […]
Continue readingGovernment Relations Update, September 12, 2017
We would like to update you on our recent government relations efforts in the U.S. and across the globe. Following the devastation of Hurricane Harvey and Irma, we have been in conversations with the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and the FAA on how to properly leverage UAS during natural disasters. […]
Continue reading2017 AMA Expo West AMA/FAA Panel Discussion
Watch the Academy of Model Aeronautics’ Rich Hanson and Chad Budreau sit down with Charles Raley, Senior Attorney for the FAA, to discuss the current regulations regarding UAS. The group covers topics such as airport notification, altitude restrictions, preemption, and more.
Continue readingStay clear of Hurricane Matthew recovery efforts
Along with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) is urging all model aircraft hobbyists to stay clear of Hurricane Matthew recovery efforts in areas affected by the storm, especially Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. Any unauthorized drone or model aircraft operations that interfere […]
Continue readingCalifornia Bills Targeting Model Aircraft Vetoed
September 29, 2016, California Governor Jerry Brown vetoed a number of bills targeting the model aircraft community. This includes legislation that would require geo-fencing and drone identification, and prohibit the operation of UAS over state managed land and waters. The specific bills vetoed by the Governor were AB 2148, AB […]
Continue readingAs authorities write drone rules, model airplane hobbyists take on the FAA
Check out the recent AMA article from the Carroll County Times. Ian Duncan writes about the effort that “turned the Baltimore County runway where Vail’s club is hosting an air show this weekend — and venues like it across the state and nation — into a battleground. On one side are […]
Continue readingCongressional Process Stalls
Congress is in the process of updating FAA’s goals and authority, which includes regulations on model aircraft. To accomplish this task, the Senate and House must separately draft and pass their version of FAA’s reauthorization bill. The two bills then go to a conference committee to resolve any differences. After […]
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