http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2015/01/28/drones-academy-of-model-aeronautics-ama-editorials-debates/22497911/

White House incident demonstrates that a regulatory approach does not and will not work.

Following this week’s incident at the White House, President Obama and others called for the FAA to put regulations in place for small unmanned aircraft, or “drones.”

If the president is talking about establishing rules to enable commercial use of the technology, we agree these rules are long overdue. But if he or others are suggesting that the recreational community needs to be federally regulated, that’s another story.

OUR VIEW: Drone age takes flight, and FAA’s not ready

The fact is for the past six years, existing regulation has specifically prohibited the flying of unmanned aircraft anywhere near 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. This recent incident clearly demonstrates that a regulatory approach to the recreational use of small unmanned aircraft does not and will not work.

Many well-meaning individuals acquiring this new technology simply don’t know what airspace is restricted or prohibited, whether it’s near the White House, around other federal buildings or even the upcoming Super Bowl. The best way to prevent drone incidents isn’t to regulate recreational users; it’s to educate them.

That’s what the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) has been doing successfully for nearly 80 years. Representing more than 175,000 model aircraft enthusiasts across the country, we constantly provide and update best practices on how to safely operate unmanned aircraft.

More and more people are accessing this fun, educational technology. These newcomers want to fly safely but don’t realize that just because you can easily acquire the technology, it doesn’t mean you can fly it anywhere and for any purpose.

For this reason, we’ve been working with industry groups and the FAA to educate new fliers about the safe and responsible use of unmanned aircraft.

It’s our goal to make common-sense guidelines more accessible to the legions of new fliers taking to the skies, ensuring safety for all aircraft — manned and unmanned.

Campaigns such as “Know Before You Fly” and AMA’s long-standing community-based safety programs are the best, and perhaps the only, ways to effectively manage the recreational community.

Dave Mathewson is the executive director of the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA).