Hi does anyone know what the new law is about flying a drone in the U.K. and if I will have to sit a course ?

Here’s a good place to start http://dronesafe.uk/safety-apps/.
At the moment no test is required.

I have been reading about this and can someone confirm I can fly my drone up to a height of 50m and then it is legal to fly over a park or building with a small amount of people in as long as the drone stays above them 50m?

the regulations are clear as mud

You can fly legally up to 120m/400Ft.

Stay away from people by 50m.  When landing - this can reduce to 30m.

Stay away from residential property by 50m.

Stay away from large crowds (1000+) by 150m, and built up areas by 150m too.

Keep your drone within sight - VLOS (Visual Line of Sight)

If your drone is sub 7Kg, you can fly in air traffic managed areas - though I wouldn't get nearer than 5000m or 3 miles to the aerodrome - and talking to the local air traffic tower is highly highly advised.

The above are rules for private hobby use.

If you are looking to earn money or other rewards in place of money -  from pictures, or films you take with your drone - then you will have to apply for a PfCo (Permission for Commerical Operations)

Here is one such provider;
https://www.heliguy.com/blog/201 ... ning-in-manchester/

Just for Info ...

All Rules and guidelines for Model Flying - Multi Rotors incl. - are all in discussion in a EU wide group. The intention is to create a uniform code across the EU.

In LARPAS - the Latvian discussion group I am in - the draft docs are in discussion as they are in all other states groups.

The info posted by others above is today. In one year they will alter but many will remain similar. UK I know is leaving the EU - but as I understand it - the rules will most likely still be applied to UK albeit via UK Judiciary / Authorities, as UK is a serious part of the discussion today.

Luckily in EU - the Committee with the job is actually listening to groups such as LARPAS, actually including suggested amendments to make flying less restrictive but still safe.

Example : Inclusion of a clause that if you comply and fly with a recognised club and its guidelines - then that is sufficient is in the doc today and expected to survive.

I would paste the details - but at this time - they are still a discussion doc and therefore not advised to post.

Just thought I'd comment.

Nigel

No change as yet to the UK drone code. I received this on the latest update: -

Dear consultation respondent,

Many thanks for your response to our consultation entitled ‘Unlocking the UK’s high-tech economy: consultation on the safe use of drones in the UK’.
We are pleased to tell you that we have today published the Government’s response to this consultation, which summarises the responses received and sets out what measures the Government will take going forward. You can find the press release for this announcement here.
The Government’s response to the consultation can be found here, it details information on responses including the:
·         number of responses
·         types of bodies and person responding
·         overall results
It also gives the next steps to be taken by Government to:
implement a registration scheme and mandatory competency tests for all users of drones weighing 250 grams and above
bring forward work to create an authoritative source of UK airspace data, which will facilitate the implementation of geo-fencing and build greater awareness of airspace restrictions amongst drone users
explore further measures such as increasing penalties, creating new offences and reviewing the powers available to law enforcement agencies to enforce relevant law
You may also be interested in the outcomes of the Government’s safety research being published today, as it influenced the outcomes of this consultation. The safety research was sponsored by the Department for Transport, the Military Aviation Authority and BALPA, the pilots’ union. It examined the impact of a drone hitting helicopter and airliner windscreens. It showed that drones of 400g could critically damage helicopter windscreens. For airliners a drone of 2kg or more could critically damage the windscreen when the plane is flying at a high speed, not commonly flown for take-off or landing. A summary of the results can be found here.
Many thanks again for participating in our consultation!
The Drone Policy team

cid:image001.png@01D302CD.17DA73A0         
Drones Policy, International Aviation, Safety & Environment
Great Minster House
33 Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 4DR  

The bill is being presented to parliament this Spring - it will then need to be written into law if passed and may need to go through the house of Lords. This will take precedent over any pending EU legislation as will have no impact on any UK airspace as the UK leaves the EU next year. in short, you will need to sit an on line test to prove your understanding of the basics of flight safety, register your drone and expect to go to prison if you fly next to Heathrow etc.

Hi A CW .... just one comment :

The results of tests on the impact of a Drone on Windscreens was shown to be falsely interpreted and was brought into serious doubt. Unfortunately despite evidence that the tests were questionable, the authorities continued to use the 'reported' results in their documents.

It was also brought to their attention that many of the 'reported sightings' were in fact not involving 'drones' but still they have been included to 'add weight' to arguments.

It has been shown that many 'incidents' could not have occurred as reported.

I do not post to argue - just to clear up a few items.

The question of UK and EU UAS rules is one that appears to be separating - but this is still unclear as of today. The Bill is to be presented but that is subject to discussions that have been going on for significant time.
At this time there are still 28 Members discussing the EU wide rules and its implementation.

Nigel

solentlife Posted at 2018-2-13 03:47
Hi A CW .... just one comment :

The results of tests on the impact of a Drone on Windscreens was shown to be falsely interpreted and was brought into serious doubt. Unfortunately despite evidence that the tests were questionable, the authorities continued to use the 'reported' results in their documents.

I'm aware of that - the body of what is written above is what the UK department of transport e-mailed me, not my own words.
This is going through and I believe will overpower any EU law given Brexit as the UK will not be a member state next year and will define it's own laws once more, including use of UK airspace.

A CW Posted at 2018-2-13 03:53
I'm aware of that - the body of what is written above is what the UK department of transport e-mailed me, not my own words.
This is going through and I believe will overpower any EU law given Brexit as the UK will not be a member state next year and will define it's own laws once more.

I hope that UK will regain its sovereignty, I was in a grey area as to whether to vote or not - due to amount of time I spend outside of UK and live in Baltics.

The problem is that EU wide ruling has been under discussion many years and for over 3 years now in its present form, with possibility that it could enact in full or partially BEFORE 2019's departure of UK.

I can say this : My Father was a senior Official of the CAA and I grew up hearing his daily workings ... best way to describe it ? Politics !  The twists and turns were just like MP's ... what appeared to be cast in stone - next day was put aside.

We had a document on our table recently regarding the EU wide ruling ... a short while back - the Options Document was promulgated ...

Here's a cut and paste from the email I received as a Member of LARPAS :

"This document appears to be quite different from the EASA’s NPA; it is true in the form, but not in the content. The new Basic Regulation revised the adoption process to be used by the European Commission, in particular for UAS: regulation concerning operations and registration is adopted as an implementing rule, while regulation concerning design and production and third country operations is adopted as a delegated act. This has forced EASA to split the regulation in 2 parts:"

Its to illustrate that despite agreement - changes occur and often without logic !

Fingers crossed all works out ... last thing we want is the USA style mess coming over here !!

Nigel  

I agree with that thought!

solentlife Posted at 2018-2-13 04:13
I hope that UK will regain its sovereignty, I was in a grey area as to whether to vote or not - due to amount of time I spend outside of UK and live in Baltics.

The problem is that EU wide ruling has been under discussion many years and for over 3 years now in its present form, with possibility that it could enact in full or partially BEFORE 2019's departure of UK.

This is the UK Government's official stance on the 2016-17 Consultation that is now concluded and how the EU will impact upon it: -

"The law applicable to the use of drones in the UK includes both aviation-specific and general law. Safety is the primary focus of the relevant aviation rules which differ depending on the weight of the drone which is being flown.
Currently, the safe use of drones weighing no more than 150kg is subject to UK aviation regulation only, in particular the Air Navigation Order 2016.
The safe use of drones weighing more than 150kg is regulated by European law set out in Regulation (EC) 216/2008 (known as the Basic Regulation) and its amending acts. This Regulation, which sets the mandate of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), is currently being renegotiated, and the new proposal covers all drones, regardless of weight. The Government broadly supports the proposals of the European Commission and EASA to develop clear harmonised rules to ensure the safe operation of drones across Europe and particularly the UK.
On 23 June 2016, the EU referendum took place and the people of the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. Until exit negotiations are concluded, the UK remains a full member of the European Union and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force. During this period the Government will continue to negotiate, implement and apply EU legislation. The outcome of these negotiations will determine what arrangements apply in relation to EU legislation in future once the UK has left the EU <29 March 2019>.
The Government is considering carefully all the potential implications arising for our aviation industry from the UK’s exit from the EU, including the implications for the continued participation in the EASA system. Until we leave, EU law will continue to apply to the UK, alongside national rules."

Next year will be an interesting one for drones in the UK ;)

Interesting that we are allowed to fly over buildings/people if we stay above 50m. that makes it very easy to go flying from my back garden now, all I need to do is fly straight upto 165 feet and then I'm good to go anywhere

It will be interesting far wider than just the UK.

We've all seen the mess Canada got into ... as people have illustrated elsewhere - draw circles round airfields etc and there is virtually nowhere to fly !

USA with its ever changing FAA vs AMA vs Public vs anyone who differs !

The big fear that was expressed - was the import of USA rules without regard to its results ... fortunately it didn't happen. But there is still a long way to go.

Nigel

Steeevo Posted at 2018-2-13 05:37
Interesting that we are allowed to fly over buildings/people if we stay above 50m. that makes it very easy to go flying from my back garden now, all I need to do is fly straight upto 165 feet and then I'm good to go anywhere

As long as there are no buildings, vehicles or people that are not in your control within a 30m radius from the take off point then thats rights, unless you live in a residential area then thats classified as congested. All the rules are on the UK CAA website and the 30m rule is more specific to the data protection act/privacy laws when flying a drone with a camera attatched.

I found this helpful https://www.heliguy.com/blog/2017/07/31/uk-drone-regulations/

Steeevo Posted at 2018-2-13 05:37
Interesting that we are allowed to fly over buildings/people if we stay above 50m. that makes it very easy to go flying from my back garden now, all I need to do is fly straight upto 165 feet and then I'm good to go anywhere

RE Garden, incorrect, well, it is if i am to assume you have neighbours and those neighbours are close to you, ie. you live in a village town or city or any place that is substantially use for hum occupancy or recreation, if that is the case then you must keep 150m away, therefore taking off and landing from our garden is NOT allowed, i live in a village, i have a 6ft fence all round, if i want to test my craft after updates etc i will test it in my garden, i keep it below the fence line though. My garden, My airspace below my roof line, most definitely below the fence top.

So to sum up, draw a 150m circle and stand in the middle, anything in that radius thats substantially used by humans for occupancy and or recreation, move ya circle

If you live where youre on the outskirts of a village, and detached etc, you must be 50m away from your neighbours

I think its worth the 5 second risk of flying straight up from my garden and getting above 50m so i can fly around my local area from the comfort of my home

Steeevo Posted at 2018-2-14 00:41
I think its worth the 5 second risk of flying straight up from my garden and getting above 50m so i can fly around my local area from the comfort of my home

If you are in a city/town/village then you should not do that.

If you are in the country then still avoid flying over other peoples houses and if you need to do so then don't do it at 50m, go up to 100m, otherwise someone will get worried|upset|annoyed.

Also, don't forget to keep the drone in sight, your post sounds like you are off on a trip several miles long around the village!