Dave Mathewson, executive director of the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA), which is the world’s largest community-based organization whose members fly model aircraft for recreational and educational purposes, has issued the following statement on the release of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) best practices on privacy:
“AMA congratulates NTIA’s multi-stakeholder task force in its development of a voluntary set of best practices addressing privacy in the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). AMA is pleased to have been part of the process and is gratified that a number of the newly released privacy best practices mirror the guidelines that AMA members have followed for decades.
“In fact, AMA members already follow a strict privacy policy that prohibits model aircraft from conducting aerial surveillance or capturing high resolution images where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy, unless given explicit permission from the owner. AMA also instructs all members to refrain from operating on or flying over private property without first obtaining permission. We look forward to continue working alongside NTIA and all UAS stakeholders to refine and promote these important privacy standards.
“Since 1936, AMA and its members have been committed to safely and responsibly enjoying the hobby of flying model aircraft. Our experience demonstrates that an education-focused and community-based approach is the best way to manage recreational flyers.
“Furthermore, our members have a strong safety record because they follow our comprehensive set of safety and privacy guidelines, which are constantly evolving to accommodate new technologies and new modeling disciplines.”
AMA is a founding member, along with the Federal Aviation Administration and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), of Know Before You Fly, a campaign that provides drone users with basic safety information on how to fly safely and responsibly.
