AMA IN ACTION Advocating for Members

As report by Chad Umble in Lancaster Online… Conoy Township supervisors (Conoy, PA) are taking a dim view of anyone who may want to use a  remote-controlled airplane to get a birds-eye view of another’s property. A nuisance ordinance reviewed by the township supervisors during their meeting Thursday, 2/14, includes a section […]

A team from Cornell University’s engineering department prepares their homegrown drone for a 2012 competition in Maryland. The domestic drone industry is leaning on the FAA to relax regulations on U.S. drone flights. Photo: Cornell.edu… At a recent Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) conference in McLean, VA unmanned […]

An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle… This remote-controlled “Slow Stick”, equipped with a point-and-shoot digital camera, cost drone hobbyist and advocate Patrick Egan about $300, camera included. The airplane cost him $29 several years ago; now the same kit costs $39. Photo Courtesy of Patrick Egan A bill sponsored by a Dallas legislator […]

The inordinate amount of attention given the unmanned aircraft issue and the media’s exploitive use of the term ‘Drone’ is fueling a growing hysteria regarding potential abuses of UAS technology. This pseudo frenzy is resulting in a kneejerk reaction by politicians to address public concern. This was most recently illustrated […]

Texas and Idaho join the growing list of a dozen states considering state laws aimed at legislating the use of unmanned aircraft systems (‘Drones’). The number of states either developing or actively pursuing UAS legislation includes… California, Florida, Idaho, Maine, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and Virginia […]

On Wednesday, Jan 23rd, PBS aired its most recent Nova program entitled. “Rise of the Drones“. This feature presentation delved into the world of drone technology and operations to discuss the controversy of remote warfare, increased surveillance, and a future of autonomous aerial robots. Rise of the Drones | NOVA […]

Rise of the Machines | Friend or Foe? – You be the Judge… This 27 min video produced by Journeyman Pictures provides an excellent comprehensive look at the regulatory, ethical, moral and social issues surrounding the introduction of ‘Drone’ (UAS) technology into the US civil environment. Please Note: The Academy […]

In a recent email an AMA member asked if we had a ‘right’ to fly model aircraft… ? It’s an interesting question… And in fact yes, we do have a right to fly! Though we do not have a specific right to access the civil airspace as part of our […]

As reported in USA Today… “A wave of retirements and new FAA requirements could make it hard for airlines to find enough pilots, especially if travel picks up.” Pilot, mechanic and engineering shortages are projected for the commercial sector for the next 10-20 years. It’s more important than ever that model […]

AOPA Aviation eBrief, “The Senate confirmed acting administrator Michael Huerta’s nomination to the top Federal Aviation Administration post on Tuesday. Various organizations released statements reacting positively to the news. “We thank the Senate for working to confirm Mr. Huerta. He has demonstrated strong leadership and sharp focus in collaborating with […]