Drone Safe Register is the largest group of approved and certified dronepilots in the UK. Last year DSR received investment from Peter Jones CBEafter appearing on BBC’s Dragons Den. DSR consult with the CAA on dronematters and are part of their select third-party stakeholder steering group.

Please note that you can download separately a Local Authority DroneChecklist.

www.DroneSafeRegister.org.uk

CreativeEngland

Filming in England Summit

Thursday 9th May, 13:30-18:30

Space Studios, ManchesterPresenter

Steve Fisher LBIPP CLP-uS

Photographer / Videographer / Drone Pilot

Communications and Business Development for

Drone Safe Register

Drone Safe Register

• As the largest professional industry organisation representing 500+ approved and CAA certified drone pilots and operators

• We have operators all over the UK and Ireland

• We vet and research all members for compliance, insurance and certification, so you don’t have to.

• We are a key invited third party stakeholder within the CAA steering group and are working directly with them on drone aviation and airspace policy planning.

• DSR appeared on BBC Dragons’ Den back in September last year and gained investment from the Dragon – Peter Jones. The same programme is coincidentally being re-run on BBC2 this Sunday at 9pm.

• In addition to our commercial activities and industry representation, we run a unique Drones for Schools programmed aimed at Key Stage 2 children working under the National Curriculum category Design and Technology

Who is the Drone Safe Register?

A Quick 15 min Talk

• Who is the Airspace Legislator, Regulator and Enforcer

• Airspace – Who Owns it?

• What are the Current Rules / Laws / Regulations

• What is a Permission for Commercial Operations -PfCO

• What Paperwork to Check for a Commercial Drone Flight

• 15min Drone related Questions and Answers Session

A Simple Drone Agenda

Who does what?

LEGISLATOR: Government & Department of Transport

REGULATOR: Civil Aviation Authority – CAA

European Union Aviation Safety Agency – EASA

ENFORCER: Police

Who is the Airspace Legislator, Regulator and Enforcer

Additional Considerations• Local Government / Council• By-Laws / Military• Landowners, Duchy of Cornwall & National Trust• Health and Safety Executive• Data Protection Registrar

Airspace – Who Owns it?

cuius est solum eiusesse usque ad coelum

et ad infernos

“whoever owns the soil, it is theirs up to heaven and down to

the depths”

Hmmm… in short… no one does

However…..

• Airspace access and use is closely regulated by the CAA

• Split into categories – namely Controlled [A,C,D,E] and uncontrolled [G] – Shown on Standard Aviation Maps

• Freehold property owners have a right to claim a portion of the airspace above their properties under the laws of “trespass” or “nuisance” if they believe their right in law to safe and quiet enjoyment is infringed

• Use of Airspace by UAS is however more clearly defined.

Important Definitions

Small Unmanned Aircraft = SUA i.e. DRONE

Any unmanned aircraft, other than a balloon or a kite, having a mass of not more than 20 kg without its fuel but including any articles or equipment installed in or attached to the aircraft at the commencement of its flight.

Commercial Operation

Any flight by a SUA that is not public transport, in return for remuneration or other valuable consideration.

A ‘Congested Area’

In relation to a city, town or settlement, any area which is substantially used for residential, commercial, industrial or recreational purposes.

Under the Remote Pilot’s Control

In the event of an emergency, everybody can reasonably be expected to follow your commands. This would be achieved through briefings, communicating your intentions and receiving the consent of all those within the controlled zone

e.g. A film crew would be briefed by default and deemed to be under control of the pilot. The general public walking by, would not.

SUA / DRONE / UAV

Commercial Operator

Congested Area

Under Pilot Control

Many types of drones…

What are the Current Rules / Laws / Regulations?

In Summary – Key Commercial Rules

• CAA Compliant Insurance is Required

• The Pilot is responsible for flying the drone in a safe manner at all times

• Drone my be in Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) at all times to a max of 500m

• Must not flyer higher that 400ft (121m)

• Must not fly within 150m (492ft) of an open-air assembly of more then a 1000 people (Non PfCO pilot cannot fly within 150m of a ‘Congested Area’)

• Must not fly within 50m of (164ft) of any ‘Person, Property, Vessel or Vehicle’ that is not ‘Under the Remote Pilot’s Control’ – reduced to 30m for take off and landing

• Must not fly (without permission) within 5km of an airport or aerodrome boundary in compliance with their existing boundary/approaches/

Aviation Act 1982 and the Air

Navigation Order 2009

Covers the law regarding the use of

Drones in the UK

Standard Regulations – All Drone Users

Special Permissions – Commercial Operators

• The Permission for Commercial Operations is granted by the CAA upon successful completion of CPL- SU ground school, written examination and flight test.

• Upon completion of the training and testing phase an application is submitted along with a detailed and substantial Flight Operations Manual and sent to the CAA for consideration along with proof of insurance, and fees.

• If successful the CAA will grant a specific set of modified permissions (PfCO) for the operator to work under for a period of 1 year.

• The operator is required to keep accurate flight and maintenance logs (as for all aviation) for all their drone activity and be ready to present these at any random and unannounced audit inspection.

What is a PfCOPermission for Commercial Operations

• Training

• Theory Testing

• Flight Testing

• Operational Manual Assessment

• Ongoing Audit and Inspection

• Compliant Insurance

• Annual Review and Renewal

PfCO Example

Always check the pilot or the Operator’s PfCO to ensure that it is current and permits the activity in flight plan.

Operating Safety Case – OSC

• Special exemptions and permissions

• i.e. BVLOS / EVLOS• 10m/20m Distance from

People, Property, Vessels and Vehicles

PfCO – Always Ask and Check

Always check the pilot or the Operator’s PfCO to ensure that it is current and permits the activity planned in flight paperwork

Each PfCO Pilot/Operator will have a unique Number – Often called incorrectly, a License number. May be in pilot’s name or company name. Watch out for T/A businesses and sole traders.

Mine is 2565…. There are 5004 current PfCO holders (May 2019)…. Entry numbers are now north of 10000 so after 4 years, I’m a veteran!

Check this number in the CAA database on their website, to ensure it is a) Current and b) pertaining to the Pilot/Operator applicable – here is the link:

http://publicapps.caa.co.uk/modalapplication.aspx?appid=11&mode=detail&id=7078

DSR Only register current PfCO holders and we check rigorously. Therefore you can always guarantee a DSR pilot as being current, legal and compliant.

CAA holds a database of all current PfCO holders

(Pilot and/or Operator so you can check. It

comes out monthly, so new entries may be

missing

Paperwork you should Check

PfCOInsurance

Risk AssessmentMethod Statement

Flight Plan

When it comes to filming, a Drone pilot, whether in-house with the production company or hired in as a separate sub-contractor will have the same types of paperwork requirement.

• PfCO (always) and OSC (if applicable)• Insurance with required levels of Public Liability• Risk Assessment• Method Statement (may be rolled up into general

production Method Statement)• Flight Plan

The content within these documents may vary considerably and tie into the production planning and paperwork as a whole.

There is no need for you to see the proprietary CAA Operational Manual

As a landowner, you are granting permission to take off and land, not necessarily to access any given airspace. However, you should still look at certain documentation.

Please remember…

Check DocumentsCheck PfCO

Engage EarlyConsult with the Experts

Discuss ConcernsTrust the Professionals

• Always ensure that production companies use commercially CAA approved drone operators, such as those on the Drone Safe Register

• Drone flight is extremely safe when in the proper hands, and has the safest track record of all aviation categories

• Engage early with the production planning process, raise your concerns and have them addressed by the Drone Operator directly. Do not assume that all production, media or TV companies know about drones and drone laws!

• Ask for copies of the paperwork and discuss any issues early on –there are many ways to get the shot!

• Please don’t believe everything you read in the papers about Drones…

Steve Fisherwww.DroneSafeRegister.org.uk

07463 297164

creativeengland

Filming in England Summit

Thursday 9th May, 13:30-18:30

Space Studios, Manchester

Thanks for listening….

Questions & Answers Session