Reaction so far by general aviation advocacy groups has been mainly positive to the new rules released yesterday by the FAA to manage small drones (55 pounds or less) in the national airspace. "We commend the FAA for balancing the imperative to maintain safety … with the practical needs of this rapidly-emerging industry," said Bob Lamond, NBAA's director of air traffic services and infrastructure. "Overall, these regulations provide clearly-defined operating parameters that commercial UAS users have sought for years." AOPA said the final rule incorporates many of the comments they submitted during the rulemaking process, including restricting the maximum operating altitude for small UAS to 400 feet AGL to provide a buffer between manned and unmanned aircraft. The Air Line Pilots Association, however, raised several concerns.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/recent-updates/business-military/advocacy-groups-react-to-drone-rule