Originally Posted by
Propworn
How exactly did the AMA give them a free ride?
By defining drones as "model aircraft' under Section 336, beyond regulation by the FAA, with this in the AMA safety code: "A model aircraft is a non-human-carrying aircraft capable of maintaining sustained flight in the atmosphere". That's the definition of a drone, courtesy of AMA.
Here's how it should have read: "A model aircraft is a non-human-carrying aircraft capable of maintaining sustained flight in the atmosphere, controlled only by manual input of the operator and only in visual line of sight". Drone problem solved.