Flying in Restricted Airspace - Overcoming the challenges

Before any drone survey takes place we have to consider the airspace, whether it be Restricted Areas (around prisons/nuclear sites/Government buildings/Military bases), a FRZ Flight Restriction Zone (around airports or heliports) or Danger Areas (Military operations areas/HIRTAs etc)). These can be permanent or temporary in nature so they need to be checked before every operation.

To overcome flying in these restricted or prohibited zones EK Specialist Surveys holds the necessary Operation Authorisation from the Civil Aviation Authority and insurance coverage for commercial drone operations. We also hold a number of additional accreditations such as our Health and Safety certifications . This allows us to be best placed in engaging with the controllers of these complex airspace areas and build relationships with the necessary stakeholders to gain permission to operate in them again and again.

EK Specialist Surveys has over 11 years of experience and expertise conducting surveys all over the country and in the most complex environments. Through careful planning and preparation, alongside our experience and knowledge of airspace, we are proud to be able to enable our clients to get the full picture of their assets even in these most demanding scenarios..

EK Specialist Surveys were recently instructed to carry out drone roof surveys across our clients retirement home portfolio. Over 50 roofs were inspected and this spanned across a 2 month period.? One of the properties fell within a Nuclear Restricted Area and the images below show our exemption approval to operate within the airspace.

The key points below summarise some of? the challenges we face at EKSS on a daily basis related to our drone surveys:

Regulatory Compliance:

• Navigating and adhering to the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regulations, which can be complex.
• Understanding different classes of airspace and the specific restrictions associated with each.

Permission and Approval:

• Obtaining necessary permissions from the CAA and other relevant authorities.

Public Perception and Privacy:

• Addressing concerns related to privacy and public safety.
• Managing potential negative perceptions from the public and local communities.

We meet these challenges through working with our clients to understand their assets and their locations alongside their requirements and challenges; ensuring the best end result from our surveys and imagery.?

We ensure all stakeholders, occupants, public and necessary authorities are fully engaged and that the process is hassle free for the client themselves.???