FAA and AMA Work Together To Ensure Safety of Model Aircraft
The Academy for Model Aeronautics and the DOT organization are collaborating to ensure the safety of model aircraft flying.
On January 12, 2014, FAA and the Office and the Academy for Model Aeronautics (AMA) signed an agreement to work together toward ensuring model aircraft flyers fly their devices with the lowest risk possible. The sometimes 20-foot long model unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) can be purchased and flown by anyone, according to a press release from FAA. The devices can be controlled by smartphones or tablets as well.
The two groups signed the agreement to ensure that both those manning the aircraft and bystanders on the ground are as safe as possible. According to the press release, the agreement states that AMA "will serve as a focal point for the aero-modeling community, the hobby industry and the FAA to communicate relevant and timely safety information." AMA will create a safety program for its members, which includes guidelines for emerging model UAS technologies. The FAA will review the safety program and offer advice.
For more information, visit FAA.gov.