American aviation regulators are being urged to stay clear of privacy issues in their deliberations on drones.

The News/Media Alliance has joined the News Media Coalition in a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration following its “public listening sessions” seeking feedback on the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) recommendations report.

The FAA will now begin its rulemaking process related to BVLOS operations and invited the public to submit additional written comments.

Since privacy groups are encouraging consideration of a new privacy statutory regime, the Alliance joined the News Media Coalition in a letter reiterating that no consensus had been reached regarding a privacy statute during the committee, and that, as with past rulemaking proceedings, the FAA should “stay away from privacy”.

Other members of the News Media Coalition are the Advance/Newhouse Partnership, American Broadcasting Companies, The Associated Press, Capitol Broadcasting, Fusion Media Network, Gannett, Getty Images (US), National Press Photographers Association, NBCUniversal Media, The New York Times Company, The E.W. Scripps Company, Sinclair Broadcast Group, TEGNA, and WP Company.