Drone licence central to safety
Although the current regulations in place prohibit pilots from flying in congested areas and near airports, drones operating in these areas have been responsible for recent ‘near misses’ with commercial aircraft, causing concern and sparking renewed debate. Encouraging users to pursue a drone qualification may eliminate these concerns, according to UAVAir.
Helen Cope, Marketing Manager said: “Although current drone regulations must be re-assessed to move the industry forward, we do not believe that this is the core factor causing safety concerns due to drones potentially colliding with manned aircraft, and other instances of them flying in unnecessary areas. The problem lies in each drone user being uneducated or unaware of these rules.
When obtaining a commercial drone qualification, each candidate must demonstrate and is tested on their thorough understanding of the Air Navigation Order, created by the CAA to regulate the UK’s airspace. They must also pass a flight assessment, showing they are capable of operating their drone safely. With this kind of intensive training, risk of dangerous flight practice is reduced.”
There were at least 13 reported cases of ‘near misses’ with drones at London airports last year, sparking fear over the impending possibility of a crash and the devastation that may occur. In 2017, a public dialogue has been commissioned by The Department for Transport, Ministry of Defence and Sciencewise, aiming to understand widespread attitudes towards current and future usage of drones in the UK.
Cope continued: “It will be interesting to learn what comes of this public dialogue and what changes this will make the drones regulation in the UK. Until then, we encourage any drone operator who wants to ‘do their bit’ for the industry to consider gaining a licence in order to learn best practice and improve their technique.”
