AMA in Action - 2012/06

AMAi n Action Advocating for Members
2008 2009 2010 MAR MAY JUL SEP NOV JAN MAR MAY JUL SEP NOV JAN MAR MAY JUL SEP NOV APR JUN AUG OCT DEC FEB APR JUN AUG OCT DEC FEB APR JUN AUG OCT DEC
I’m sure you’ve noticed the signi cant increase in the
amount of media attention given to the unmanned aircraft
issue in the past several weeks. Most of these articles have
sensational titles such as, “Drones, Coming to a Neighborhood
Near You,” or “Drones, the New Eye in the Sky—Are We
Ready?”
Nearly all of these articles use the term “drone,” either in the
title or in the text, and are seemingly intent on dramatizing
the unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) issue, as if this subject
isn’t complicated enough.
Much of the attention given to the UAS topic has been
prompted by the recent passage of the FAA Modernization
and Reform Act of 2012. The same law that includes
protection for model aviation also directs the FAA to,
“develop a comprehensive plan to safely accelerate the
integration of civil unmanned aircraft systems into the
national airspace system,” and, “provide for the safe
integration of civil unmanned aircraft systems into the
national airspace system as soon as practicable, but not later
than September 30, 2015.”
This has been seen by many as a rush to deploy this
technology in the civil environment and has raised a host
of questions regarding privacy, security, and civil liberties
issues—none of which relates to the current harmonious
existence of model aircraft operations.
Generally, the term drone is a military term that dates back
to World War II when target drones were used for gunnery
practice. Although it is in the vernacular when referring to
unmanned aircraft, the term carries with it a threatening
and an almost foreboding connotation that does not equate
to anything within the spectrum of aircraft operated by the
aeromodeling community. However, this word is pervasive
in the media and has been used to depict everything from
the 22,000-pound Northrop Grumman Global Hawk, to
AeroVironment’s 19-gram Nano Hummingbird.
The following was described in a recent article published
through Scienti c American’s website written by Prof. John
Villasenor of UCLA:
“Model airplanes have been around for well over a
hundred years and actually predate manned  ight. Models
have been used for decades to test aircraft design theories
and to validate full-scale performance. Some models are
small-scale replicas of real airplanes; others are original
designs intended for sport or competitive activities. In many
cases, they are built to stunningly precise levels of detail.
Most, though not all, model airplanes today are  own by
radio remote control.
“Model aircraft are  own by thousands of enthusiasts with
a common interest in aviation and a love for watching their
aircraft  y and perform. For this reason, models are largely
 own within visual line of sight and in the presence of an
operator who watches and maintains control of the airplane
during  ight. That alone is enough to place model airplanes
cleanly outside the boundaries of ‘drone.’”
The telling difference between model aircraft and what are
otherwise referred to as “drones,” is the intent and purpose of
their  ights. In simple terms, model aircraft are  own for the
elation of causing the aircraft to take  ight and the pure joy
of watching it  y. This is what sustains the hobby and what
has mesmerized modelers for decades.
Please keep in mind, the sUAS Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (NPRM) remains on the horizon and is still a
signi cant issue for the modeling community. Make sure
everyone you know is aware of the impending regulation,
and ensure that everyone who shares our love for this hobby
is well informed and participates in the response to the
proposed sUAS rule when the NPRM is published.
Timely updates regarding the sUAS rulemaking can also be
found on Facebook by liking ‘AMAGov,’ and on Twitter at,
<Twitter.com/AMAGov>.
—Rich Hanson
Government and Regulatory Affairs
[email protected]
January 2011
AMA/FAA open
membership
forum at the
AMA Expo.
May 2011
Model avaition
standards and sUAS
rulemaking update
at the Joe Nall/AMA
general membership
meeting.
June 2011
FAA pushes
back its sUAS
Notice of
Proposed
Rulemaking
(NPRM) to
December.
December 2011
FAA pushes back
its sUAS Notice
of Proposed
Rulemaking
(NPRM) to
February 2012.
January 2012
AMA/FAA open
membership forum
held at the AMA Expo.
April 2012
AMA conducts
another open
forum at the
Toledo Weak
Signals Show.
October 2012*
End of NPRM
comment period.
July 2012*
NPRM sent to Of ce of
Management and Budget.
NPRM cleared by Of ce of
Management and Budget.
NPRM published.