Ofcom has announced a new initiative to make the 978 MHz spectrum available for drone safety devices in the UK. These devices, known as Universal Access Transceivers (UAT), help aircraft identify drones’ locations, ensuring safer integration into airspace. This change is essential for critical infrastructure tasks, such as inspecting power lines and wind turbines. The…
The United Kingdom’s commercial drone industry, valued at £501 million in 2023, stands at a pivotal juncture. In this paper by Connected Places Catapult “Beyond Sight Behind Barriers”, the authors examine the current state of the UK Drone Industry and what might be holding it back from the next steps of growth. Despite its rapid…
Scalable Beyond Visual Line of Sight Operations Over the coming months and years, the CAA is working to address the remaining regulatory challenges that will enable authorised operators to operate Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) in a scaled, sustainable way. Note from ARPAS-UK: The next immediate step will be the publication of the atypical…
Work is ongoing in the UK, Europe and the US to determine the technical standards for systems such as parachutes and flight termination systems that will be accepted as Means of Compliance with safety requirements. Adding these systems to your drones would support OSC approval for higher safety risk operations, in particular to mitigate ground…
Callum Holland from the Future Safety and Innovation Team discusses the UK CAA’s proposed policy on unlocking beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone operations using an Atypical Air Environment. Hear how this could work in practice and how your views can help shape the final policy. 14 February 2024
The UK’s Civil Aviation Authority has launched a regulatory sandbox to help support the development for the integration of Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) into UK Airspace. Their intention is that the integrated Concepts of Operation (ConOps) be trialled by appropriate industry stakeholders to support the ongoing development of CAA policy and understanding for UAS flights…
At a glance New research shows there are untapped benefits of Electronic Conspicuity devices in light aircraft, which is vital to help avoid mid-air collisions and situations where air safety is threatened, known as Airprox. A report published by the UK Civil Aviation Authority today [16 November 2023] has looked at the importance of technology used…
The UK’s leading drone operators have called on the Government to change the way uncrewed aviation is regulated, and break down the barriers to uncrewed flight that risk the UK missing out on the ‘drone opportunity’. The comments come in a new White Paper published by the BVLOS Operations Forum, a consortium of advanced drone…
