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 […]
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FBI Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Outreach
As you know, we have been enjoying our great hobby safely and responsibly for over 80 years. Unfortunately, there is now some concern that extremist groups could use drones to inflict harm and cause serious damage. The FBI has contacted AMA as part of their routine community outreach to ask […]
Continue readingGovernment Relations Update, January 30, 2018
It has been a busy start to the new year for the AMA Government Affairs team. Here is a look at some of our recent work at the federal, state and local level to advocate for and protect our hobby. Federal Government Relations At this year’s AMA Expo West in […]
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 readingFAA’s Registration Requirement for UAS
We are writing to update you on the FAA’s registration requirement. Today, Congress finalized legislation that will reverse the earlier court ruling in the John Taylor case and restore the FAA’s UAS registration requirement, including for AMA members. We expect this legislation – the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for […]
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 readingWhite House UAS Pilot Program
Today, President Donald Trump and the Department of Transportation launched the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Pilot Program. Over the next year, five to twelve communities will be selected by the FAA to test new drone programs in close coordination with the UAS industry as well as state and local governments. Next […]
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 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 […]
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