May 24, 2017

ALPA Statement on Federal Court Decision Blocking FAA from Requiring Recreational Drone Registration

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA) issued the following statement today regarding new Federal Aviation Administration regulations for the operation of unmanned aircraft systems:

“The recent decision by a federal court in Washington, D.C., to block the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from requiring hobbyists and recreational flyers to register their drones is a threat to the safety of our national airspace.

ALPA fully supports the safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into the national airspace and has worked with the FAA and industry stakeholders to ensure a regulatory framework that places safety first. However, the FAA has a responsibility to protect our skies and should be able to fully regulate the safe operation of UAS for all users of our skies, including hobbyists and recreational flyers of drones. The court’s decision has thwarted those efforts, and Congress needs to act to protect the flying public.

More can—and must—be done to further advance the safe integration of UAS for commercial operators and hobbyists, and ALPA calls on Congress to enact legislation giving the FAA the clear authority to fully regulate hobbyists and recreational flyers of UAS.”

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents over 57,000 pilots at 33 U.S. and Canadian airlines. Visit the ALPA website at www.alpa.org or follow us on Twitter @WeAreALPA.

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CONTACT: ALPA Media, 703-481-4440 or Media@alpa.org