I've read some bad stuff about the AMA in this thread, and I can't say I blame anyone for having a totally negative view of them.
But please read on ...
I don't want to start a pro/anti gun discussion, but I would point out that there are reportedly over 300 million firearms in this country (enough for almost every man, woman and child) and irrespective of your position on them or the NRA, we can learn a lot from how the NRA operates to keep such a hot topic issue of gun ownership from becoming banned.
Drone sales for hobbyists are still far away from that sort of number, but we are moving fast in that direction with equally fast restrictions being proposed, and a similarly very unfriendly media.
IMHO, the best bet we have to steer rules, bans and future legislation is to become united with our voices .. but with some added clout.
And unless we can rapidly build a grass roots organization that makes it as easy to send our message to the places that it can be most effective ... as the NRA does ... we will not be able to do much but watch others do what they want with the hobby.
Cool thing is that there is already a large organization that can be that vehicle, and have their existing lobbyists present 'our interests' in Wa., but many have presented it as the enemy to be avoided.
I won't argue at all with the negative experiences and opinions that have been reported about the AMA, but I will say that with the numbers we have as drone pilots, the AMA might be our best (and probably only) bet as an already connected organization .... that can be 'tweaked' into being a more drone positive one, by us ... if we fill their ranks by joining.
Every month you get a magazine that tells you who's your local leader in the AMA organization, and they are elected to those positions.
With the rapidly advancing number of drone pilots, why not just join and let them know ... on no uncertain terms ... that we will vote them out if they don't present a more drone friendly influence?
It would be much easier to accomplish doing that than building an organization from the ground up, or just complaining about whats already been done.
I don't think you even need to be of normal voting age to vote in the AMA.
The sheer numbers of drone pilots could grow until we were of a loud enough voice to effect a more drone positive change in the AMA.
And we could also use the NRA's methods of alerting members of pending restrictions, and provide the same type of petition process as a template for us to contact our government representatives.
With the NRA it's a simple email from them that has a hyper link to take you to a form, which is already addressed for you once you enter your local area, to have it sent to the proper level of your representatives (depending on if it's a city, regional, county state or federal proposal/bill .... all the way to the White House) and it's all filled out with what assembly bill number, etc. that you are protesting, with a clear reason why you are against it (or you can use your own words) to protest the proposed restrictions.
It's a "click and be heard" process ... and 300 million guns in the hands of US citizens and legal immigrants can attest to it's effectiveness.
IMHO: We need that same sort of voice, and the AMA is ripe to be that ...... if you simply join and vote for pro-drone leadership and policies.
Plus .... membership gets you liability insurance and a cool sticker.
Maybe others have a better way of being heard 'effectively' enough to ward off or at least steer the next set of regulations, and if so ... I'm all in.
But I fear that the clock is ticking, and I don't think time is on our side.