Helicopter Association International (HAI) is the latest supporter of the “Know Before You Fly” campaign, an initiative to promote the safe and responsible use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). 

“For the past 60 years, HAI has worked to foster public confidence in the safety of helicopter operations,” says Matt Zuccaro, president of HAI. “We are excited to become a supporter of this important campaign, and continue to do our part to enhance the safety and awareness of responsible flying for both the manned and unmanned aviation community.”

The “Know Before You Fly” campaign was created by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) and the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA). The campaign was launched in December 2014 in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to provide UAS users with the information and guidance they need to fly safely and responsibly.

“We welcome the support of the Helicopter Association International and its diverse group of members from the manned aviation community to embrace the campaign and help us spread the message about safe and responsible flying,” says Brian Wynne, president and CEO of AUVSI. “HAI‘s dedication to safety and education perfectly matches the mission of the ‘Know Before You Fly’ campaign.”

HAI joins 22 other organizations that support “Know Before You Fly,” which include retailers, manufacturers and distributors of UAS, as well as several organizations representing the manned aviation community.

“We are thrilled that HAI has joined ‘Know Before You Fly.’ AMA represents approximately 180,000 modelers and 2,400 flying clubs around the country, and safety for us has always been a core principle and one we share with the manned aviation community,” says AMA President Bob Brown. “As a co-founder of the campaign, this is a unique and important opportunity to show others that flying model aircraft can be a fun experience and best when done as safely as possible.”