Regulatory Matters

Following the changes to the Air Navigation Order (ANO) which came into effect today, we have received a number of queries from members and clubs regarding the status of the existing CAA Permission to operate model aircraft (not including multi-rotors) of less than 7Kg above 400ft (and also the FPV Exemption) issued last year for … Read More

<p>The Government has today announced proposed changes to the Air Navigation Order (ANO) to introduce increased regulations aimed at drone pilots.</p> <p>The proposed changes are as follows:</p> <ul> <li>Operators of drones above 250g to be registered (effective from 30th Nov 2019).  It is hoped that membership of one of the UK Model Flying Associations will … Read More

The Department for Transport (DfT) has now published the outcome of their consultation on the safe use of drones in the UK.  The document can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/631638/unlocking-the-uks-high-tech-economy-consultation-on-the-safe-use-of-drones-in-the-uk-government-response.pdf The document has evidently caused some concern within the model flying community and has set some ‘hares running’.  As such, I thought that it would be … Read More

The DfT (Department for Transport) have today announced their intent to create new legislation to regulate drones.  A draft Bill outlining the new laws is in preparation and will be presented to Parliament in the Spring.   The new laws are consistent with the regulations being drafted by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and … Read More

<p>The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has now published the Technical Opinion and Draft Regulations for Unmanned Aircraft.  All of the documents can be found on the EASA website here: <a href="https://www.easa.europa.eu/document-library/opinions/opinion-012018">https://www.easa.europa.eu/document-library/opinions/opinion-012018</a></p> <p>Model aircraft remain within the scope of these Regulations, but thanks to the lobbying carried out on behalf of the model flying community … Read More

<p>As reported in the last issue of the BMFA news the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes in to force on 25^th May 2018, there are a number of documents available for you to download from the club support page at <a href="https://www.bmfa.org/Clubs/Club-Support">https://www.bmfa.org/Clubs/Club-Support</a> these should provide you with all the information BMFA Affiliated Clubs … Read More

<p>At a meeting on 10^th November, the Transport &amp; Tourism Committee (TRAN) of the European Parliament backed plans for the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to be granted the competence to regulate unmanned aircraft below 150Kg, including model aircraft.</p> <p>The TRAN Committee also backed plans requiring some form of mandatory registration and identification for all … Read More

<p><strong>European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Prototype Rules</strong></p> <p>The second of four scheduled EASA ‘Expert Group’ meetings to discuss and refine the ‘Prototype Rules’ took place in Cologne on 14^th December.  Areas covered included possible differentiation of commercial/recreational operations, requirements for registration, electronic identification and age restrictions.  The next meeting will take place on the 23^rd … Read More

<p><strong>NPA 2017-05(A) Introduction of a regulatory framework for the operation of drones </strong></p> <p>The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) began the process to create a regulatory framework for the operation of drones in 2015, when in August they published the A-NPA 2015/10 – “Introduction of a regulatory framework for the operation of drones”.  This document … Read More

<p>The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has recently launched its ‘Prototype Rules’ for the regulation of ‘unmanned aircraft’ throughout Europe.  In their current form, the proposals represent a serious threat to model flying as we know it which I cannot understate.  You can read the ‘Prototype Rules’ and the ‘Explanatory Note’ here: <a href="https://www.easa.europa.eu/easa-and-you/civil-drones-rpas">https://www.easa.europa.eu/easa-and-you/civil-drones-rpas</a></p> <p>The … Read More