News from EU: Europe wants new "shared" rules regarding drones.

This week (12 June 2018), the European Parliament approved an agreement on EU-wide principles for drones and drone operators to ensure a common level of safety and give operators and manufacturers the predictability to develop products and services.

Some of the novelties contained in the new EU rules to ensure the safe use of drones and update safety regulations refer to legal certainty to help stimulate market development and modernization of aviation safety rules to meet new challenges.

Currently, in Europe, drones weighing less than 150 kg are the responsibility of national authorities, and therefore manufacturers and operators are subject to different design and safety requirements. The market estimates regarding the technology of the civilian drone could reach in the next 10 years something about 15 billion euros a year, with the possibility of creating about 150.000 jobs in the EU by 2050.

Under the new EU rules, drones should be designed taking into account the risk associated with, for example, the weight of the drone or the operating area, the drone will need to have specific characteristics, such as automatic landing, if the operator loses contact with the drone or anti-collision systems.

When it comes to drone operators, they will have to be aware of all the rules in force and be able to operate safely. This means that some of them will have to take a training course before they can use a drone.

To facilitate identification in the event of an accident, drone operators must be registered in national registers and their drones marked for identification. Fortunately, this will not apply to smaller drone operators.

By these fundamental principles, the European Commission has the task of elaborating more detailed rules at EU levels, such as the maximum altitude and distance limits for drone flight, and of determining which operations and which types of drones should be certified. Based on the risk involved. The rules will also specify which operators will have to undergo additional training and be registered and which drones will have to be equipped with other safety devices.

The interim agreement was approved with 558 votes in favor, 71 against and 48 abstentions. The rules will now have to be formally approved by EU ministers before legislation can enter into force.

Jair Ribeiro - a passionate drone operator!