EU agency publishes non-binding safety guidelines for small drones

The European Aviation Safety Agency has published non-binding guidelines for safe operation of small drones weighing up to 25kg. These are the prelude to binding rules that the European Commission will introduce in due course.

In the ‘open’ category, where there is a lower risk level and no prior authorization is required, the flight ceiling will be 120m. The flight height is made dependent on the distance to people. If the drone has gone up at a distance of, for example, 100m from people, the maximum flight height is also 100m. There is no distance limit, just the obligation to keep the drone in sight. The document omits the requirement of a minimum age; that is left to the individual Member States.

There will be different requirements for different weight classes. For example, a drone owner with a drone of less than 250g only needs to take in some consumer information, while drones in the next weight class, up to 900g, must be able to be identified. The driver must then go through an online test and training. Drones in the 4kg class face even more requirements, as do drivers, who must, for example, complete a recognized theory test and registration.

These EASA guidelines and rules are contained in a formal document, but are not yet binding rules. The guidelines are likely to form the basis for the final rules, which the European Commission may adopt later this year and then introduce it in early 2019.

Patrick Ky, a director of EASA, has said that the final regulation from the European Commission with the published guidelines as a basis will lead to the free distribution of drones and a level playing field for the whole EU. According to him, the privacy and security of citizens have also been taken into account and the industry retains the opportunity to innovate and grow.