Drones could be used for critical medical deliveries, as well as inspections of railways, power lines and roads, under proposals from the UK’s aviation watchdog.
The proposals, set out in a consultation published on Monday by the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), would allow operators to safely fly their drones beyond line-of-sight.
Although some drones have been flying beyond line-of-sight in Britain for several years, these flights have mainly been tests under strict restrictions.
Instead, the proposed measures would allow drones to operate beyond line-of-sight by allowing them to remain at low altitudes and close to buildings or infrastructure. This means that drones can fly where fewer aircraft are expected to be active.
Kevin Woolsey, head of remotely piloted aircraft systems at the CAA, said: “Our proposals are a positive step towards unlocking the next phase of drone flying in Britain. Allowing drones to fly remotely out of sight of the pilot, without imposing restrictions on other aircraft in the area, will be a major achievement for UK drone operations.
“Safety is at the heart of everything we do and that is why, using this proposed concept, we have identified sensible measures on where drones can fly to ensure we maintain safety levels.”
The announcement aims to take the UK’s drone operations a step further towards the next phase of beyond-visual-line-of-sight flying – potentially paving the way for a future of online store delivery by drones.
It is also proposed to allow drones to be used without permission on private property, as long as they do not fly above 15 meters.
Industries involved in inspecting infrastructure such as railways, power lines and roads would benefit, as would farmers and site safety, the CAA said.
The consultation is one of a number of initiatives by the CAA as part of its UK future flight programme. The program aims to enable drones to safely share a larger part of the sky with other airspace users. The CAA is working with industry to enable developments for drones and other new forms of air transport.
The consultation will be open for six weeks from Tuesday and is available on the Civil Aviation Authority’s website.
The proposals include allowing drones to fly in what is called an “atypical aerial environment”. An atypical air environment is a volume of airspace in which it can reasonably be expected to have a reduced number of conventionally operated aircraft due to proximity to ground infrastructure such as buildings.
It is clear that operating in such airspace is not without risk and it is suggested that it is up to the operator to propose how to mitigate other areas of risk, including seeking relevant approval.