New drone legislation effective 13 March 2019 is not enough to ensure the safety of the travelling public. While the UK government has taken some welcomed action on drone regulation, mandatory geo-fencing must be introduced without delay to aid enforcement. That move is one of six safety steps being called for by GATCO to reduce the risk drones pose to aviation and the travelling public.
The problem with the current piecemeal approach to regulation is that there is no emphasis on stopping drones from flying into areas where they can pose a risk to the flying public. The measures so far rely on individuals following rules and/or being competent enough to operate their drones within those rules. GATCO is calling on the UK government to enact the following six steps:
- Mandatory geo-fencing without delay
- Fast track research and trials into electronic conspicuity
- Clarity on rules on exclusion zones for helipads
- Urgent consideration of introducing restriction zones around unlicensed aerodromes
- Drone registration and tests for individuals brought forward from November 2019
- Further research on the effect of drones strikes
You can find more details about GATCO’s six steps in the press release below:
You can also download CAA’s CAP1763 – Air Navigation Order 2018 and 2019 Amendments – Guidance for Small Unmanned Aircraft here.