The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a new FAA Reauthorization Act.\u00a0 The act seeks to protect our ability to fly under the current FAA Section 336.\u00a0 However, they added language into the Unmanned Aircraft Systems section that may be a concerning prospect going forward.\u00a0 While the bill is through the House, it now moves to the Senate, which\u00a0 will draft its own version.\u00a0 Beyond this, there will be a meeting of the minds between the House and Senate.\u00a0 The bill will then be put to a vote.<\/p>\n
While we have won a victory, keep in mind things can change at the drop of a hat.\u00a0 We need to stay vigilant to protect our right to fly![vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”2151″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”link_image”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n
Section 336 is the Special Rule for Model Aircraft. The FAA cannot create any rule or regulation regarding model aircraft if adhering to the following rules:<\/p>\n
If flight operations do not adhere to these rules, the FAA can pursue enforcement if safety of the national airspace is at risk.\u00a0 These rules, combined with registering as a UAS pilot at the FAADroneZone<\/a> is what keeps us flying safe and within the rules.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n The only major change from the current Section 336 here is a restriction on sites that operate amusement rides.\u00a0 A provision requiring drone registration is present, which was not in the previous reauthorization act.\u00a0 The bill also defines community based organizations and the requirements to establish one.\u00a0 The full proposed bill can be found here: House of Representatives \u2013 FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018<\/a>.\u00a0 This bill is the entire FAA reauthorization proposal; but when it comes to UAS content begins on page 113.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”2174″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”link_image”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n The Commercial Drone Alliance<\/a> has many companies behind its interests in Section 336, including CNN, Ford Motor Company, ParaZero, and uAvionix.\u00a0 The CDA, in their bid to lobby Washington D.C., wants to establish some \u201crules of the road\u201d to manage all air traffic generated by model aircraft.\u00a0 The CDA is pushing for mandatory remote identification, which would require yet another component for our models. Of course, the cost would be yours to absorb.\u00a0 According to one of their member\u2019s websites, uAvionix<\/a>\u00a0stands ready to provide these components.\u00a0 The smallest of these, the pingRX, comes in at a whopping $200 price tag.\u00a0 The option for remote identification is not on the cutting room floor just yet.<\/p>\n The CDA attests (as evidenced by their Legislative Priorities document) that FAA Section 336 for hobbyists \u201cendangers the safety and security of the airspace, and slows innovation.\u201d\u00a0 While not stated explicitly, there is an air of pushing hobbyists out of the sky to make room for commercial operations.\u00a0 What the CDA may not understand is the technology that they use in their commercial drones was born of the innovations of the hobbyist during the last 70 years![\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n There stands in the proposed bill a section regarding micro UAS operations.\u00a0 They define Micro UAS as any aircraft weighing 4.4 pounds or less.\u00a0 Here they want to establish a rule-making committee to consider the following regulations:<\/p>\n Depending on the result of this committee, this could severely limit our ability to fly current technology.\u00a0 This could also pose an immediate threat to the multirotor and fixed wing racing culture that has developed.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”2176″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”link_image”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n We as pilots of model aircraft, whether you fly multirotors or fixed wing aircraft, need to make our voices heard!\u00a0 We have a right to the national air space and the right to innovate.\u00a0 There are organizations like the Academy for Model Aeronautics (AMA)<\/a>\u00a0and the Drone User Group Network (DUGN)<\/a> that are lobbying for our rights under Section 336.\u00a0 By becoming a member, you are supporting those efforts as well as joining a community-based organization under which you can fly.<\/p>\n Beyond that, one of the most effective things that you can do is to personally contact your state representatives and senators.\u00a0 Tell them why you fly and the importance of maintaining our rights under Section 336 as hobbyists and innovators.\u00a0 Corporations do not own the rights to the sky and, I for one, refuse to let them keep me from my passion.\u00a0 Below are links that will take you to a place where your voice can be heard.\u00a0 Choose your method, either through contacting your congressmen and congresswomen through Democracy.io or directly through their Twitter accounts.<\/p>\n Remember, when contacting your congressmen and congresswomen, be polite, be concise, and most importantly, be professional!\u00a0 Also, below you will find a letter that I have written that you can use if you like.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row bg_type=”bg_color” bg_color_value=”#efefef”][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n Dear Senator\/Representative (Last Name),<\/p>\n I am writing you in regards to the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, specifically Title III, Subtitle B of House Resolution 4.\u00a0 I am concerned regarding the rights of the hobbyist model aircraft provisions laid out. There is potential for many people to lose the ability to participate in a hobby that America has enjoyed for 80 years.\u00a0 I understand that the commercial drone industry has been lobbying for more restrictions for hobbyist pilots.\u00a0 I will always support innovation; however, by limiting the rights of individuals to use the skies, future development would become stagnant.<\/p>\n The commercial drone industry has brought many new technologies into current generation models.\u00a0 However, most of those innovations were wrought from the efforts and abilities of the hobbyist community.\u00a0 One company, or even the commercial drone collective as a whole will never match the ability of the masses to create, test, and implement new technologies.<\/p>\n Many of your constituents are model aircraft enthusiasts who participate in many different events as a community.\u00a0 Through the competition of drone racing alone, the companies that provide components for model aircraft have driven the evolution that allow both the hobbyist and commercial drone industry to enjoy lighter, more reliable models.\u00a0 As many of the multirotors that we fly are under the 4.4 pound limit (Micro UAS) it would also limit the ability for competition events by requiring our speeds be under 40 knots.<\/p>\n I also know that up for discussion is remote identification technologies, which at the current time are cost prohibitive for the average consumer to utilize in their aircraft.\u00a0 Requiring this would create a price bottleneck that few could afford to implement.\u00a0 This hinders the ability for the model aircraft community to grow and continue to innovate.\u00a0 Model aircraft, specifically multirotors, have been a major inspiration to current STEM classes as well as new innovations in agriculture and mapping.<\/p>\n I want to thank you for your time.\u00a0 I hope that you will support model aircraft hobbyists so we can continue to pursue our passion.\u00a0 Pursuing this hobby has changed so many lives, has inspired countless people, and continues to fuel innovation.<\/p>\n Sincerely,<\/p>\n (Your Name Here)[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n Follow the links below to contact your congressmen and congresswomen directly.\u00a0 Democracy.io will ask you for your address and automatically select the appropriate people for you to contact.\u00a0 Let me know in the comments below that you made your voice heard![\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][dt_default_button link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fdemocracy.io%2F%23!%2F||target:%20_blank|” size=”big” button_alignment=”btn_center”]Democracy.io[\/dt_default_button][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][dt_default_button link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fcspan%2Flists%2Fmembers-of-congress%2Fmembers%3Flang%3Den||target:%20_blank|” size=”big” button_alignment=”btn_center”]Tweet Congrees[\/dt_default_button][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a new FAA Reauthorization Act.\u00a0 The act seeks to protect our ability to fly under the current FAA Section 336.\u00a0 However, they added language into the Unmanned Aircraft Systems section that may be a concerning prospect going forward.\u00a0 While the bill is through the House, it now moves … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2179,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[138],"tags":[2586,2582,2578,2583,2587,2581,2579,2580,2585,2584],"class_list":["post-2010","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fpv-news","tag-drone-legal","tag-drone-news","tag-faa-section-336","tag-fpv-news","tag-fpv-section-336","tag-model-aircraft","tag-section-336","tag-special-rules-for-model-aircraft","tag-uas-legal","tag-uas-news","infinite-scroll-item","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.getfpv.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2010","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.getfpv.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.getfpv.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.getfpv.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.getfpv.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2010"}],"version-history":[{"count":31,"href":"https:\/\/www.getfpv.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2010\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2229,"href":"https:\/\/www.getfpv.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2010\/revisions\/2229"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.getfpv.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2179"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.getfpv.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2010"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.getfpv.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2010"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.getfpv.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2010"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Language in the Proposed Bill<\/h2>\n
Special Rules for Model Aircraft<\/h3>\n
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Changes from Current Act<\/h3>\n
What\u2019s At Risk?<\/h2>\n
Other Concerning Topics<\/h2>\n
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What Can You Do?<\/h2>\n
Letter to Congress<\/h2>\n
Why We Need Your Help!<\/h3>\n
How to Contact Contact Congress<\/h2>\n