District I—Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
I am often asked to speak at AMA membership meetings during AMA Expo, the Westchester Radio Aero Modelers (WRAM) Show, and Joe Nall Week about the purpose and status of AMA’s Advanced Flight Systems Committee (AFSC). With few district activities at this time of year, I thought district members might like to read about the AFSC in this column.
What are advanced flight systems?
The sport of aeromodeling has evolved as new technologies have been incorporated into RC aircraft. Fixed-wing, rotary-wing, and multirotor model aircraft, in micro- to large-scale, can now utilize advanced flight systems such as:
- FPV (first-person view)
- Stabilization systems
- Autopilot
- GPS
- Failsafe systems
- Attitude-limiting systems
Many of these systems are available and affordable to the hobbyist as a result of advances in cellphone technologies that use miniature electronic GPS, inertial sensors, multi-axis gyros, and stabilization components which are now incorporated into RC systems.
AMA’s approach and the AFSC
When possible, AMA’s policy is to embrace new technologies. In 2012, AMA President Bob Brown established the AFSC to create operational policies for RC technologies. I was appointed committee chairperson with an initial assignment to create new policies for FPV flying and the use of autopilot, stabilization, and failsafe systems in model aircraft.
The committee engages in a process of risk assessment by identifying and evaluating risks to people, property, and the environment when using new flight systems. Committee members consider strategies to mitigate the risks to an acceptable level, from which we write a safety document for inclusion in AMA’s National Model Aircraft Safety Code. The documents are formatted into sections for operational procedures, requirements, limitations, recommendations, and definitions.
These guidelines are monitored and revised because of rapid technology changes. If you’re using or considering using any of these advanced flight systems in your model aircraft, you should visit the AMA website document section for Advanced Flight Systems to know AMA’s current safety requirements.
Privacy and FAA recognition
The committee was proactive in addressing privacy issues arising from the use of onboard cameras on model aircraft. We included a section describing the requirements for operating aircraft in areas where there might be a reasonable expectation of privacy—requiring the pilot to obtain written permission from property owners to fly over their property.
The AFSC’s efforts in creating AMA safety documents were recognized by the FAA in November 2013 when it endorsed AMA’s safety rules for farmers to operate sUAS on their farms for precision agricultural applications using image- and data-collection sensors.
Why AMA embraces new technologies
The most common question directed at the committee is why AMA embraces some of these new technologies. We tell members that nearly every time in AMA’s history when we introduced new technologies into aeromodeling activities, we faced resistance from some members. After clubs and members become educated and the new technologies can be safely used under AMA’s safety rules, acceptance begins.
We also tell them that if we couldn’t mitigate the risk, we wouldn’t accept the technology. By accepting the technology under AMA safety standards, we differentiate our safe operations from those pilots who would utilize the technologies in a reckless, careless, or unlawful manner. We are able to continue advanced flight system operations under our own safety standards and not be subjected to regulations that others outside of our community may face.
Accommodating different disciplines at club sites
Most members and clubs realize that many disciplines within our hobby can harmoniously operate at their club’s flying sites. Excluding members and potential members from a club because they fly a different type of aircraft, without considering ways to include the new activity, sends a bad message to the community. There are many ways to accommodate hover-type aircraft, including helicopters and multirotor aircraft, at club flying sites by providing separate site locations or flight times.
Safety benefits of new technologies
False statements are sometimes made about the safety of new disciplines or technologies. Application of new technologies can provide a safer flying platform, such as with aircraft return-to-launch capability when a radio signal is lost or failsafe is activated. The use of low-voltage warnings, telemetry status information, and redundant systems will reduce risks and enhance safety.
If you have questions, contact me at [email protected].
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
