The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board has ruled that drones are aircraft for the purpose of the Federal Aviation Administration’s prohibition of their careless or reckless use, but skirted other issues on the regulation of drones.

Pointing to the definition in U.S. regulations that an aircraft is any device that is “used for flight in the air,” NTSB ruled that the prohibition on careless and reckless operation applies to any aircraft, manned or unmanned, large or small.

The definitions on their face do not exclude even a “model aircraft” from the meaning of “aircraft,” the board observed.

The NTSB said it was not addressing petitions including amicus curiae (friends of the court) briefs on issues ranging from rule making for drones to protection of First Amendment rights under the U.S. Constitution.

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