FAA PUBLISHES GUIDANCE TO MODEL AIRCRAFT OPERATORS
June 30, 2014
On June 23, 2014 the FAA published a Federal Register notice on its interpretation of the statutory special rules for model aircraft in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012. The notice comes on the heels of several incidents where unmanned model aircraft were flown recklessly near airports and crowds of people.
The notice essentially provides clear guidance to operators of model aircraft on the “Do’s and Don’ts” of safe operation. The FAA also restated the definition of a “model aircraft” and described its operational limits as: (1) the aircraft is flown strictly for hobby or recreational use; (2) the aircraft is operated in accordance with a community-based set of safety guidelines and within the programming of a nationwide community-based organization; (3) the aircraft is limited to not more than 55 pounds unless otherwise certified through a design, construction, inspection, flight test, and operational safety program administered by a community-based organization; (4) the aircraft is operated in a manner that does not interfere with and gives way to any manned aircraft; (5) when flown within 5 miles of an airport, the operator of the aircraft provides the airport operator and the airport air traffic control tower…with prior notice of the operation; and (6) the aircraft is flown within visual line sight of the operator.
It is important to note that the FAA may take enforcement action against operators of model aircraft who operate their aircraft in an unsafe manner. The FAA plans to coordinate with its inspectors and model aircraft operators in order to promote the dissemination of standard information on how the public should operate model aircraft in compliance with current regulations and avoid endangering the safety of the nation’s airspace.
Additional information on the safe operation of model aircraft is available here: https://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/uas/model_aircraft_operators/.