AUVSI Also Responds To The Announcement, Favorably

The Academy of Model Aeronautics says it is "disappointed" in the rule for UAV registration announced Monday by the FAA.

In a statement, Dave Mathewson (pictured), executive director of the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) and a member of the UAV registration task force, said that the rule is counter to Congress’s intent in the Special Rule for Model Aircraft and makes the registration process an unnecessary burden for our more than 185,000 members who have been operating safely for decades.
 
“AMA is disappointed with the new rule for UAS registration. As a member of the task force that helped develop recommendations for this rule, AMA argued that registration makes sense at some level and for UAS flyers operating outside the guidance of a community-based organization or flying for commercial purposes," Mathewson said in the statement.
 
“The Special Rule for Model Aircraft in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 clearly states that the FAA is prohibited from promulgating any new rules for recreational users operating within the safety guidelines of a community-based organization (CBO).  Meanwhile, the FAA’s contention that model aircraft should be considered aircraft is currently the subject of pending litigation. Congress by no means intended to grant a free pass to flyers within this system. Instead, it left risk mitigation and the development of appropriate safety guidelines to organizations like AMA.
 
“AMA’s eighty years of experience demonstrates that this voluntary, community-based approach to managing recreational flyers is highly effective. Our members follow a comprehensive set of safety and privacy guidelines, which are constantly evolving to accommodate new technologies and new modeling disciplines.
 
“At the same time, AMA understands that new legions of flyers need to be educated on how to fly safely and responsibly. That’s why AMA has been working closely with the FAA and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) on the Know Before You Fly campaign. Education programs like these are one of the best ways to ensure the safety of our airspace.”

The UAV industry's most-recognized trade group said the FAA still has work to do concerning unmanned aircraft, but was generally supportive of the rule.

“While the creation of a registration system is an important step to enhance safety, the FAA must continue its work to integrate UAS into the national airspace, starting by finalizing the small UAS rule," said AUVSI President and CEO Brian Wynne (pictured), who served on the registration task force, said following the announcement. "Putting the rule in place will provide the necessary tools and training to create a culture of safety that will help deter careless and reckless behavior.”

(Images from file)

FMI: www.modelaircraft.org, www.auvsi.org