The Do's and Don'ts of Drone Usage in the UK

THE DO'S AND DON'TS OF URONE USAGE IN THE Uk Drones are small unpiloted aircrafts also known as 'unmanned aerial vehicles' (UAVS), traditionally used by the military in combat zones. However, there has been a marked increase in the public use of drones for recreational purposes, surveillance and data-gathering. THE DRONE EXPLOSION There has been an increase in the use of drones in the UK over the past year, which has called for regulations to be put in place to monitor this growing trend. JANUARY 2013 TODAY 80% 30 1,036 In the period between January and October 2014 there was an 80% increase in permit grants for flying drones in the UK. The numbers of drones licensed for commercial flights by the CAA shoots up from 30 in January 2013 to 1,036 today. THE UK IS THE COUNTRY THAT IMPORTS THE LARGEST NO. OF DRONES IN THE WORLD 33.9% 13.2% 9.8% 7.8% 7.3% 6.2% 37% 3.2% 2.9% USES OF DRONES Recreational Inspection of structures Mapping ww Ariel Crop monitoring exploration Photography Surveying Video News coverage RULES FOR PILOTING A DRONE THE DO'S THE DON'TS Make sure you can see your drone at all times 9 O Fly in congested areas Keep your drone away from aircraft, helicopters, Fly close to people or property airports and airfields THE CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY (CAA) HAS A NUMBER OF RULES THAT UK DRONE USERS MUST FOLLOW. THESE INCLUDE: The aircraft shouldn't be 20KO heavier than 20 kilos. Drones that weigh more than 20kg are banned from flying in civilian airspace, other than in a large zone in west Wales and a smaller one over the military base at Boscombe Down. It must be flown by day when - weather conditions are optimum for good visibility. Don't fly unmanned aircraft out of the line of sight' i.e. 500m horizontally and 400ft vertically, without necessary permissions. Operations beyond the 'line of - sight' of the drone pilot must be approved by the CAA. The aircraft must not be flown within 50m of any vessel, vehicle or structure which is not under the control of the pilot. The drone must not be flown within 50m of any person except O• during take-off/landing; the aircraft must not be flown within 30m of any person except for the pilot. UAVS with cameras must not be flown within 150m of congested areas or large groups of people. CAA permission is also required - for all flights that are being Small UAVS used for surveillance conducted for commercial work. purposes are subject to tighter restrictions with regard to the minimum distances that it can be flown near people or properties that are not under the pilot's control. Special permission is required from the CAA before such operations are The 'remote pilot has the responsibility for satisfying him/herself that the flight can be conducted safely. initiated. RULES FOR DRONE PILOTS Pilots must undergo a certification process offered by national qualified entities on behalf of the Civil Aviation Each pilot must undergo theoretical training (or demonstrate an acceptable means of compliance such as a private pilot licence) and a pilot competency assessment, in the form of a practical flying test. Authority (CAA). POLICE MANOEUVRING The Air Navigation Order, 2009 is the one usually used by the UK police officers who suspect someone misusing a drone. But there are at least six other areas of law where drone crimes are likely to take place: Police officers in the UK attempting to make an arrest for "negligent" use of drones are instructed: Not to try to take control of the drone 'unless H exceptional circumstances exist' such as a threat to life or damage to property. To ask to see the footage of anything recorded, despite not legally having the power to demand this unless the person is suspected of terrorism related offences. THE PUBLIC ORDER ACT PROTECTION FROM HARASSMENT ACT If the drone's in the air he can only instruct the pilot to land the drone. If the person refuses, he will have to wait till the battery runs out. SEXUAL OFFENCES DATA PROTECTION ACT If the police suspect a drone is being misused the first thing they should do is try to photograph or video the drone and where it is. TERRORISM ACT Officers don't have any power to seize a BREACH OF THE PEACE AND PUBLIC NUISANCE drone under the Air Navigation orders but H may be able to do so under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, if the circumstances are right. CONSIDER THE DATA PROTECTION ACT In the UK, drone users must ensure they are complying with the Data Protection Act. For commercial users, if you are flying your drone and collecting images of identifiable individuals, make sure you have the necessary permissions. Non-commercial use is usually exempt from the DPA; however, you need to make sure you don't use your images or footage for gain. ALWAYS REMEMBER You are responsible for each flight Before each flight, check drone for damage you are legally responsible for the safe conduct of each flight. Take time to understand the rules - failure to comply could lead to a criminal prosecution. check whether all the components are working properly in accordance to the supplier's user manual. Get to know your camera first You are responsible for avoiding collisions make sure you know how to operate your camera properly before engaging in remote footage capturing. avoid any and all areas where your drone can collide with other aircrafts, weather balloons, birds etc. Consider rights of privacy think about what you do with any of the images you obtain as you may breach privacy laws. Let people know before you start recording - it is always good courtesy to let the people know you have started recording, even if you are paying them for the images. Plan your flight plan ahead ensuring that the camera on the drone can be switched on and off remotely, to limit recording to the specific function planned for. Keep your images safe store them securely and retain them only for the minimum amount of time necessary, disposing of it when no longer required. Resources: http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240241676/Drones-in-UK-skies-an-increasingly-orowded-regulatory-airspace https://www.thedronespecialist.co.uk/facts-and-statistics-relating-to-drone-usage-in-the-uk/ http://www.alideshare.net/cibbva/ebook-drones-english http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2014-02/20/shoot-down-dranes http://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-10713898 BRRONERS http://shop.droneflight.co.uk/pages/summary-of-uk-legal-requirements http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1LXq8ZGnCk.JD6g5q60Wxoxoje/drones-dos-and-dants http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/1995/CAP%201202UAVsafetyrules.pdf http://www.rics.org/uk/news/news-insight/comment/drones-know-the-rules/ http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2015-11/03/police-fly-drone-orash-danger-terrorism-rules