1 Small Unmanned Aircraft – Regulations and Safety Threats AOA Safety Conference – 23 Jun 2015 Gerry Corbett UK CAA UAS Programme Lead

2 UAS Ops Within UK Airspace  How do you avoid collisions?  Visual Line of Sight (VLOS)  ‘See and Avoid’ responsibilities through direct visual observation (visually managed – ie. you have to be able to see it)  Limited range- Size/Colour, weather conditions  400ft vertical, 500m horizontal – generally accepted limits  Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS)  Detect and Avoid capability – technical solution  Segregated Airspace (if no DAA system fitted)  Clear evidence of ‘no aviation threat’

3 Small Unmanned Aircraft  “Any unmanned aircraft, other than a balloon or a kite, having a mass of not more than 20kg without its fuel but including any articles or equipment installed or attached at the commencement of its flight”  Note - this does not differentiate between model/recreational or other uses  Exempted from the majority of the UK Air Navigation Order (UK Air Law), but 3 specific articles apply: Arts 138, 166 & 167

4 ANO Key Articles  138 – Endangerment  ‘A person shall not recklessly or negligently permit an aircraft to endanger persons or property’  166 – Small Unmanned Aircraft (20kg or less)  Articles or animals must not be dropped ……so as to endanger persons or property  The ‘person in charge’ may only fly the aircraft if reasonably satisfied that the flight can safely be made (note no specific requirements for ‘airworthiness’)  Person in charge must maintain ‘Direct Unaided visual contact’ – for the purpose of avoiding collisions (ie. VLOS flights only)  >7kg ATC permission for flight in Class A,C,D,E airspace, ATZ’s, or over 400ft agl  Flights for the purpose of aerial work require specific permission to be granted by the CAA.

5 ANO Key Articles  167 – Small Unmanned Surveillance Aircraft  A small unmanned aircraft equipped to undertake any form of surveillance or data acquisition.  Unless in accordance with a permission from the CAA, must not be flown:  Over or within 150m of congested area or assembly of >1000 people  Within 50m of vessels, vehicles or structures (not under the control of the person in charge of the aircraft)  Within 50m of any person (exceptions exist for take-off/landing (30m) and persons under the control of the person in charge of the aircraft)  Art 167 ‘covers off’ flights which are not aerial work  Currently covers the range 0-20kg – minimum mass under consideration (500g?)

6 Small UAS (20kg or less) Challenges  Simple/light touch – no licensing, no ‘airworthiness’ specs  VLOS only ops  Basic responsibility on ‘person in charge’  Risk based - Operational Limitations where needed  Created numerous business opportunities – ‘disruptive technology?’ But……  Rapid expansion in UK  Inexpensive types outwardly appear very capable  able to be flown out of sight – height and range  ‘Leisure’ operator/’casual user’  New, non aviation operators – Education difficulties  Regulation ‘confronted by reality’ ?

7 Small UAS – Have we got it right?  CAA has sought to be ‘UAS Friendly’, but:  Increasing proliferation of very small and small UAS – much smaller (and more capable) models than originally envisaged  Recent media and Government attention  Most notable increase in ‘leisure user’ – mass market, inexpensive  The very smallest are toys and pose no aviation safety risk  Is Aviation Regulation the most appropriate way to deal with all ‘drones’?  Is the regulation enforceable?

8 Small UAS – Where is regulation required? Public Order/Safety Risks to Aviation Security Privacy/Public Perception

9 What is the aviation regulator’s role? Public Order/Safety Risks to Aviation Security Privacy/Public Perception

10 Aviation risks  Airprox Reports  Summer 2014 – Southend (1500ft), Heathrow (700ft)  Increasing No. of reports recently filed  Common theme is flight out of sight of the person in charge  Ignorance ? (new users)  or ‘deliberate’ (know the score, but think they know better’)?  Risks not confined to the UK – International problem  GeoFencing – software limitations on performance  DJI products – the vast majority (specifically Phantom)  ‘No-Fly zones’ – around airports and ‘designated areas’  Height limiters – new products set to 400ft (but can be adjusted)

11 Education?  Best short term measure?  Majority of people are ‘responsible citizens’  Making people aware of the risks should remove most of the problem -  Getting to the ‘ignorant few’ is harder  Need to make it socially unacceptable?  Emphasise the hazard, but don’t get over emotional  Future media campaign?  ‘Drone safety awareness week’  Whole industry involvement (ie. not just CAA)

12 UK Publicity campaign leaflet

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14 What’s just round the corner?

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