The AMA Government Affairs team has worked diligently with Congress to ensure our hobby is protected in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization legislation. On March 23, President Trump signed the omnibus spending bill into law, which includes a six-month extension of FAA authorization, funding the FAA through September 30, 2018. […]
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FPV IN THE WASHINGTON, D.C., SPECIAL FLIGHT RULES AREA (SFRA)
For decades, AMA members have enjoyed our hobby under our programming, whether it’s soaring, aerobatic, or FPV. Although AMA provides robust safety programming to enjoy our hobby, there are situations in which operators might be required to comply with additional rules, such as in the Washington, D.C., Special Flight Rules […]
Continue readingMore Education and Enforcement is Necessary for Unlicensed Commercial UAS
Last month, AMA President Rich Hanson wrote an op-ed in The Hill about the two ways for recreational drone enthusiasts to legally fly. The default drone law for these pilots to follow is the FAA’s Part 107 regulation, which requires a remote pilot certificate. The only exception to this rule […]
Continue readingFourth Quarter 2017 Government Relations Update
As the New Year begins, the AMA Government Relations team would like to take a moment to update you on our work during the last few months of 2017 to represent and protect our hobby at the federal, local and state level. Federal Government Relations Over the past few months, […]
Continue readingSigning of the NDAA – FAA’s Registration Requirement for UAS
Last month, we shared new information about the FAA’s UAS registration requirement, which Congress has reinstated. President Trump signed the bill today, restoring the UAS registration requirement, including for AMA members. Q: If I already registered, do I have register again? A: You will not have to register again since this […]
Continue readingEnforcement is Needed for Airspace Safety
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 […]
Continue readingGovernment Relations Update, November 7, 2017
It’s been a busy fall for the AMA Government Relations team. We are writing to update you on some of our recent work at the federal, state and local level to advocate and protect our hobby. Last week, the team spent time in Washington, D.C. discussing possible waivers with the […]
Continue readingThird 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 readingFAA Reauthorization Extension through March 2018
The AMA Government Relations team has been working diligently with Congress to ensure our hobby is protected in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization legislation. Last night, the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives passed a six-month extension of the FAA’s current authorization. The new FAA extension provides continuity for […]
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 […]
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