Association safety codes: what each body asks of its members.

Each association below is described on its own, with the edition of the document read. Their rules do not carry across borders, and none of them replaces its country's aviation law; the law in each country is on the Learn pages, starting with flying with goggles and observers. Configuration steps that some of these documents contain are not reproduced; only the requirements are named.

Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA), United States

How it relates to the law: US federal law, 49 U.S.C. 44809(a)(2), lets recreational flyers fly without specific FAA certification only if, among other conditions, they follow the safety guidelines of a community-based organisation developed with the FAA. A search summary of the FAA's page, which could not be opened, lists the AMA among the organisations the FAA recognises. The AMA's documents are still the association's rules, not federal regulations.

National Model Aircraft Safety Code (document 105)

The edition found online is marked effective 1 January 2018; whether a newer edition has replaced it was not confirmed. Under it, members agree:

• not to fly carelessly or recklessly, and not to fly under the influence of alcohol or drugs that could affect safe control;
• to give way to all aircraft carrying people, using a spotter when appropriate;
• to avoid flying directly over unprotected people, moving vehicles and occupied structures;
• not to fly a powered model outdoors closer than 25 feet to anyone except themselves or helpers at the flightline, apart from take-off and landing or as AMA competition rules allow, and to use an established safety line separating flying from spectators and bystanders;
• when flying FPV, to follow the AMA's Advanced Flight System programming; otherwise to keep visual contact with the model with no aid except prescribed corrective lenses.

Document 550: FPV (updated 3 March 2021)

• Spotter: every FPV flight needs an AMA FPV spotter next to the pilot, keeping the aircraft in visual line of sight throughout (2(d)). The pilot briefs the spotter before flight; the spotter warns of approaching aircraft and must be ready to take over and fly by sight whenever safe operation is in question (2(e) to 2(g)).
• Safety issues: a pilot with a safety problem that is more than a brief glitch must stop flying by FPV and fly by sight (2(h)).
• Novices: AMA FPV novices must first be able to fly their aircraft without FPV, and a novice learns with an experienced AMA pilot who instructs and acts as spotter (2(a) and definitions).
• Weight and height: FPV flying is capped at 55 pounds (2(j), 3(d)); maximum altitudes come from FAA letters of agreement, the FAA's UAS Facility Map and LAANC authorisation, or federal law (3(c)).
• People and places: no careless or reckless flying, no flying close to crowds at outdoor sporting events, festivals, political gatherings, fireworks or beaches, and members avoid flying directly over unprotected people, animals, vessels or structures (general rules).
• Radio: FPV aircraft must use FCC-approved frequencies, and some systems need FCC licensing because of their power or amateur-band frequencies; the document points to AMA documents 580 and 590 (2(l)).
• Use: AMA small-drone flying is limited to recreational, personal or educational use.

British Model Flying Association (BMFA), United Kingdom

How it relates to the law: the BMFA holds an Article 16 Operational Authorisation from the UK Civil Aviation Authority. The CAA's Drone and Model Aircraft Code, CAP2320 (March 2026), says membership of a recognised club or association may give additional flying authorisation, subject to its conditions. The BMFA's page says its current authorisation is Issue 8, dated December 2025, covering BMFA and British Drone Flyers members flying for sport, recreation, education and demonstration.

The detailed points below come from the BMFA's guide to the authorisation, headed "Updated 21/12/2021" (file labelled V1.2, December 2022). Whether Issue 8 changed any of these terms was not checked against the full authorisation, which was not read.

• Scope: members flying under the authorisation are not bound by the Open category rules in the CAA's CAP 722; it covers radio-controlled aircraft of all types including multirotors up to 25 kg, for sport, recreation, education or demonstration only, not commercial work, and not indoors.
• Why FPV is treated separately: the guide says a pilot flying by FPV cannot watch the flight path in relation to other aircraft, people, vehicles, vessels and structures as well as by direct sight.
• General FPV flying (section 3.2): a competent observer accompanies the pilot, keeping direct unaided sight of the aircraft and advising the pilot. The aircraft may weigh at most 3.5 kg and may not be flown within 30 m of an uninvolved person, over or within 50 m of an assembly of people, or within 30 m of a vessel, vehicle or structure not under the pilot's control.
• Racing: the authorisation includes a specific provision for FPV racing, covered on race safety rules.
• Fitness and competence: operators and pilots must be fit to fly, not under the influence of alcohol or psychoactive substances, must hold evidence of competence, and must stop a flight that may endanger other aircraft, people, animals, the environment or property. The guide lists three ways to show competence: a BMFA Registration Competency Certificate, the CAA online test with a Flyer ID, or a BMFA Achievement Certificate obtained before 31 December 2020 with a declaration.

FPV UK, United Kingdom

FPV UK also holds a CAA Article 16 authorisation. A December 2025 trade report says its 8th issue, for 2026, lets members fly FPV without a competent observer in a sterile area such as a closed race venue, and as close as 30 m to uninvolved people (15 m for take-off and landing), provided members accept the authorisation and the FPV UK Handbook. The authorisation itself was not read, so these terms rest on that report.

Model Aeronautical Association of Australia (MAAA), Australia

How it relates to the law: CASA's instrument CASA.RPAS.0572 (in force 1 September 2022 to the end of August 2027) approves MAAA affiliate members and listed visitor classes to fly beyond their own line of sight by FPV only under the MAAA's FPV policy, MOP066 version D, and only at registered MAAA club fields or CASA-approved MAAA events. MOP066 says CASA recognises the MAAA as a Recreational Aviation Administration Organisation under CASR Part 101; that is the association's own statement.

MOP066 carries a revision date of 19 August 2019, and a newer revision was not found. It applies only to MAAA affiliate members flying at MAAA clubs and affiliated sites.

• Stated concerns (section 6): the cockpit view can take the aircraft beyond unaided sight; a pilot in goggles may not find the aircraft by eye quickly enough after disorientation or loss of the video link; and the pilot cannot see the whole flight area, including other aircraft, obstructions and people.
• Two people (section 8, aircraft under 2 kg or below 100 ft): FPV flying needs two affiliate members. The observer keeps the model within visual control range, can take over at once, and is solely responsible for the safety of the flight.
• Other documents (section 5): members also follow MAAA documents including MOP056 (Safe Flying Code) and MOP057 (Insurance Conditions), and the radio regulator's class licence for the video band.
• Racing (section 9): its own rules, covered on race safety rules.

Model Aeronautics Association of Canada (MAAC), Canada

MAAC's own safety code could not be read: its documents page listed no documents on 30 October 2026. MAAC's FPV Committee says it represents the FPV community within MAAC, works with MAAC's Safety, Radio Spectrum and Multirotor committees, and has a seat on the FAI's FPV drone racing technical advisory committee. A search summary of an older committee page, not found when opened, names two FPV documents, MAP 09 "Flying First Person View" and MSD 08 "Use of First Person View Devices"; their contents are unconfirmed.

Transport Canada's exemption NCR-011-2019 (effective 1 June 2019) exempts MAAC and its members in good standing from Part IX of the Canadian Aviation Regulations for aircraft of 250 g to 35 kg flown under MAAC safety guidelines. Its condition 6 requires the pilot or a visual observer to keep the aircraft in sight; it does not mention FPV. Whether the exemption is still in force in 2026 is unconfirmed. Field rules at individual MAAC club sites are reported to differ on spotters for FPV; those are club documents, not MAAC policy, and are not described here.

Side by side

Each row applies only within its own association and country.