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By Alwyn Scott
NEW YORK, Dec 12 (Reuters) - Americans shopping for toy remote-controlled airplanes or helicopters may find, sometime in the near future, that they come with unexpected accessories: A raft of new regulations.
The Federal Aviation Administration, by the end of the month, is expected to propose new rules governing small unmanned aircraft systems, the first major overhaul of its drone policy.
The agency is closely guarding details, saying only that the rules will cover a wide range of users flying aircraft or drones weighing 55 pounds or less.
But legal and policy experts who have advised the FAA and lobbied on drone regulations said they predict the new regulations will include restrictions on hundreds of thousands of people who fly quad-copters or toy planes in parks or backyards.
The focus on toy aircraft is a new twist. Such regulations have been in the works for years, largely because of pressure from businesses wanting to use drones for tasks such as aerial photography.
Experts said that based on existing drone guidelines, the new FAA rules, expected to take at least a year to kick in, will likely require, among other things, recreational fliers to either join a community-based model aircraft organization - or obtain authorization from the FAA. The rules also could place other restrictions on people who fly drones recklessly, the experts said. If the rules omit discussion of recreational fliers, the experts added, that could sow confusion on what type of flying is allowed.
"There's basically going to be two options," said Richard Hanson, director of government affairs at the Academy of Model Aeronautics, who has lobbied Congress and advised the FAA on drone regulations. "You either participate in a community-based organization or you have to follow the rules as if you are commercial operator."
RISKY FLIERS
Bona-fide hobbyists have gotten little attention, largely because Congress in 2012 exempted them from new FAA rules - provided they adhere to, among other things, the safety code of a community-based organization, such as AMA, which has more than 170,000 members.
But that carve-out doesn't apply to an estimated 300,000 people in the U.S. who have bought toy aircraft and are largely unaware of hobbyist association safety codes.
These casual fliers, including people who get a toy drone as a holiday gift, are blamed for dangerous flights near airports, stadiums and military bases. The FAA recently documented more than 190 close calls, including instances of drones flying within 50 feet of jetliners landing in New York and elsewhere.