Some Details Leaking On The Web, AMA Ready With Response

Some details of what the FAA plans to propose when it releases its UAV policy are starting to leak out onto the Internet, and at first blush, it would appear that small UAV operators are not going to be particularly happy.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the rules will be more restrictive than UAV supporters had hoped, and it is unclear where it leaves the hobbyists.

The WSJ says that, according to information it has received, the rules would require commercial UAV operators to have a licence, and flights would be limited to under 400 feet during daylight hours only within sight of the person operating the aircraft. Additionally, all UAVs that weigh less than 55 pounds would be covered by the same set of rules.

The FAA is also expected to require several hours of flight training in traditional aircraft to receive a certificate to operate a UAV.

Michael Drobac, executive director of the Small UAV Coalition, said in his opinion "there's a colossal mess coming." Drobac told the Wall Street Journal that the rule may be "so divorced from the technology and the aspirations of this industry ... that we're going to see a loud rejection."

In an email to ANN, David Mathewson, executive director of the Academy of Model Aeronautics, said that "the FAA has a long history and is very adept at establishing regulations to manage the operation of full-scale manned aircraft. However, the FAA has no history or experience in establishing effective guidelines and procedures for small unmanned devices that operate from non-traditional locations, are operated for distinctly different purposes and are easily operated by individuals who are not aviators and are unfamiliar with the safety considerations and best practices for operating these devices. The regulatory approach being proposed has the unfortunate consequence of trying to fit a very square peg into the traditional round hole of manned aviation.

"A one size fits all approach to the sUAS regulations is potentially disastrous for the hugely popular small multirotor and lightweight fixed wing platforms," Mathewson wrote. "Overly onerous and quite frankly unnecessary regulations will stifle the industry and create an unmanageable community of outraged, frustrated, and in many cases defiant operators. A community that is much more simply and effectively managed through a community-based approach similar to that has overseen the aeromodeling activity in the United States for decades."

"For model aircraft enthusiasts who participate in the AMA’s Safety Program the Academy expects that the sUAS Rule will recognize the Special Rule for Model Aircraft established by Congress as part of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012. However the personal and purposeful sUAS operator may well find that onerous and overreaching regulations make it impractical if not impossible to make use of this exciting and highly beneficial technology."

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.modelaircraft.org