“Know Before You Fly” has been one of the drone industry’s successes: a collaborative effort between commercial interests, recreational interests, and the FAA.  Know Before You Fly was started with a partnership between the FAA; the industry’s leading advocacy organization, the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI); and the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA), a voice for recreational flyers.  Now, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) has joined the partnership to help new operators find the information and guidance they need to fly safely and responsibly.

“Know Before You Fly” serves a critical need in drone industry efforts to create a culture of aviation safety – and to ensure that pilots who purchase drones through a vast variety of retail outlets understand the laws around registration, licensing, and safe operation before they take their drone out for a first flight. Know Before You Fly is a robust campaign which combines point-of-sale materials, educational videos, the #knowb4ufly social media presence, and a website.

CTA is a significant addition to the partnership – and a clear sign that drones are steadily moving more mainstream.  CTA is “America’s largest technology trade association representing an industry that supports more than 18 million U.S. jobs,” says an AUVSI press release. “This powerful organization, which counts brands from startups to leading technology companies and beyond among its members, strengthens the campaign’s capacity for outreach to the drone and non-drone communities.”

“Today, every company is or needs to be a tech company – and more industries are discovering that drone technology can be a game-changer, “said Doug Johnson, CTA Vice President, Technology Policy. “From the agriculture and energy to the retail and entertainment sectors, drones are delivering more innovative, more efficient ways of doing business. And we’re excited to join these groups on such an important mission.”

“Over the past six years, ‘Know Before You Fly’ has educated countless new UAS operators on the safe operational requirements of their aircraft before they have taken to the air,” said AUVSI president and CEO Brian Wynne. “The campaign has been a great success to date, and having CTA on board with us ensures we will continue to grow our outreach capacity as the market continues to expand with civil, commercial and recreational flyers.”

Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry.  Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.

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