On October 1, 2025, at 12:01 a.m., the US government shut down because of congressional gridlock over questions of federal funding. Essential services related to airspace safety will continue to operate during this period, but AMA members might experience some minor disruptions, depending on how quickly the shutdown is resolved. […]
Continue readingCategory: sUAS
ANPRM Issued by Bureau of Industry and Security Relating to Foreign-Made UAS
Congress has recently taken actions to restrict access to some foreign-made UAS products, targeting specific countries such as China and Russia, as seen in 15 CFR 791.4, Public Law 118-31, and Public Law 118-159. Currently, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has released an Advanced Notice […]
Continue readingSenator Mike Lee Reintroduces Drone Integration and Zoning Act
Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) reintroduced the Drone Integration and Zoning Act, a bill that would give states, counties, cities, and local tribal governments the right to manage low altitude airspace. Specifically, the legislation would preclude the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from authorizing UAS operations under 200 feet when flying above […]
Continue readingEducational UAS Protections Become Law
The National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2021 has become law. Although the bill originally passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate in early December, President Trump vetoed the bill on December 23, 2020. This resulted in a rare New Year’s Day vote by the Senate of […]
Continue readingOffice of Management and Budget Concludes Review of Remote ID
According to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) website, the agency has concluded its review of the Final Rule on Remote Identification of Unmanned Aircraft Systems. This means that we are likely to see the rule published in its entirety soon. Once published, AMA will read and interpret what […]
Continue readingFAA Regulation Timeline
In recent years, the AMA Government Affairs team has been working diligently with Congress and the FAA to advocate for our hobby in the face of new federal regulations and continuing threats at the state-level. We have pushed back on overly burdensome proposals while working cooperatively with policymakers to protect […]
Continue readingAMA Government Affairs Update 5/22/2020
The AMA Government Affairs team continues to work with Congress and the FAA despite the ongoing pandemic.We have been able to conduct telephone meetings and participate in virtual video conferencing in order to continue our efforts to advocate for the hobby. In the past few weeks, we have seen developments […]
Continue readingRemote ID Comment Period Has Ended. Now What?
The official comment period for the FAA’s proposed rule on remote ID has closed and we want to provide an update. First – and most importantly – thank you for your unending support for model aviation and commitment to advocating on behalf of our beloved hobby. Your comments make a […]
Continue readingAMA Formal Letter to Secretary Elaine Chao
AMA has sent U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary, Elaine Chao, a letter to address her recent statement regarding UAS and remote identification. Chao fails to take the modeling community into account in her interview.
Continue readingAMA Government Advocacy Coalition
A new coalition has launched to protect the model aviation hobby industry, starting with the fight for a better rule on remote identification of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The coalition includes aviation associations, hobby shops and manufacturers. As a united front and voice, the AMA Coalition has been sharing their concerns […]
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