CAA - ARPAS UK - Page 13

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CAP722H Update: “substantially unchanged”, but clarification means stricter interpretation of overflight of uninvolved people

The CAA published on 4 August an updated version of CAP722H Specific Category Operations: Pre-defined Risk Assessment Requirements, Guidance & Policy. The announcement is HERE.

We will exchange with the REG SIG on the detailed review of this release and share opinions. We had a preview of that release and our preliminary assessment is that on the face of it, there are no substantial changes, but…the direction of travel is clear. The separation distance from uninvolved people is not qualified as “horizontal”; that qualification applies only to flying close to assembly of people. However, the wording on “4.7 Separation from uninvolved people” and the M8 and M25 in our opinion clarify in the sense of a stricter interpretation of “if and how” the remote pilot may fly over uninvolved people.

Deliberately and consistently flying over uninvolved people with a 25kg drone is absolutely not in line with safety best practices! The challenge is that PDRA01, or rather its predecessor PfCO, was designed at a time when that 25kg threshold was appropriate. Now, with the new UAS on the market, that single threshold becomes a barrier, and we advocate for other PDRAs, or layers in this PDRA, that takes into account lower mass, speed, height, ie lower kinetic energy in case of impact, as risk mitigations to reduce separation from uninvolved people.

Also, the CAA’s announcement refers to the future application of the SORA methodology and their intention to assess PDRA01 and future PDRAs using this new methodology to ensure they remain safe and appropriate for future operations, and to make sure the operational conditions for PDRA01 are still appropriate for the evolving industry use cases.

We will have the opportunity to exchange with the CAA Team on the PDRA reviews in the context of SORA. Our priorities are: as mentioned above, scales of separation distances from uninvolved people based on kinetic energy; BVLOS with airspace observers; BVLOS in atypical air environment.

Any comments on this release of CAP722H, or on the PDRA(s) review, please use our “Feedback corner” on OSC and PDRA renewal in the “Final Words” and click HERE.

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Soliciting Drone Safety Feedback: Your Valuable Insights Needed

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) requests the valued input of the drone and model aircraft community on two essential publications:

As the RPAS industry grows, understanding potential behaviours and reactions as remote pilots becomes crucial. Human error accounts for over 30% of reported loss of control (LOC) events, emphasising the need for vigilance.

Maintaining safety demands diligent pre-flight checks, prudent battery management, and heightened situational awareness. Share your perspectives via the Online Survey to contribute to drone safety.

Click here to access the survey

Mohammed Hasan

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CAP2555: Guidance on the Carriage of Dangerous Goods as Cargo for UAS/RPAS Operators in the Specific Category

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has announced the issuance of CAP2555, providing comprehensive guidance on the carriage of dangerous goods (DG) for UAS/RPAS Operations in the Specific Category. The document was published on 27th July 2023.

This document has been developed to ensure the safe transport of dangerous goods when operating Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) or Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS). It is applicable to RPAS operators in the Specific Category, both those with approval to carry DG and those without approval.

As part of the initiative, the CAA has made available two Manual Templates on its website:

These templates have been designed to facilitate streamlined procedures, adherence to safety standards, and promotion of responsible drone operations.

Operators of RPAS in the UK should note that the Application for Approval to Transport Dangerous Goods by Air (SRG2807) now extends to include RPAS operators. As such, all RPAS operators must comply with the guidelines outlined in CAP2555 during their operations.

It is important to highlight that the guidance material aligns with UK law, and any references to EU regulations or websites in this document are not applicable after the UK-EU transition.

Drone operators are encouraged to download the CAP2555 document in PDF format from the CAA website.

The CAA urges all RPAS operators to prioritise safety and responsibility while conducting operations. CAP2555 and the accompanying manual templates serve as invaluable resources to ensure the meticulous handling and transportation of dangerous goods in the drone industry.

Read more on the CAA website here.

Let us collectively endeavour to maintain the safety of the skies for the benefit of all and foster responsible drone operations.

Mohammed Hasan

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Altitude Angel Platform Launch Hailed as a ‘Key Step’ for UK Aviation

Drone flight approval platform can catapult the UK to the top of the world ‘drone readiness’ table

Baroness Vere, Aviation Minister, hails the platform launch ‘a key step’ for UK aviation

London, UK: Altitude Angel, the world’s most trusted UTM (Unified Traffic Management) technology provider, is to provide all UK airports with the ability to become ‘UTM Ready’ and by doing so will put the UK at the top of the world’s most advanced nations for drone operations and service readiness.

Whilst Japan, Switzerland, France, Germany, and Italy, have seen their drone ecosystems develop faster than the UK’s due to regulatory advancements, none have been able to deploy a standard, nationwide, digital approval service across its airport infrastructure.

But from Monday the UK will have the opportunity to leap ahead and lead the ‘drone readiness’ table as operators, and in the future air taxi pilots, across the country will be able to submit requests to fly in the controlled airspace of over 120 airports via the Drone Assist app and DroneSafetyMap.com, which are connected to Altitude Angel’s Approval Services platform.

On this significant digital milestone for the UK’s airport infrastructure, Aviation Minister Baroness Vere, said: “Aviation goes beyond the traditional modes of flying and is fast becoming a hub of revolutionary new methods of flight so it’s important that the UK is ready for the next generation of flight.

“This platform will help make airspace more accessible for innovative aircraft, keeping track of those who want to fly in airport airspace and is a key step towards achieving the ambitious outcomes that we are setting through the Future of Flight Industry Group.”

Airports already supported by Approval Services will be able to approve (or decline) the flight request digitally, in some cases giving the operator an almost instantaneous answer.

For those airports which aren’t connected to the digital platform and are still using analogue processes, Altitude Angel will facilitate the request on behalf of the operator by issuing the relevant airport a detailed summary of the planned UAS operation, via email, to ensure compliance with Article 94A of the Air Navigation Order 2016 so further co-ordination and approval can occur. Crucially, this provides the drone operator with a seamless experience at any airport, whereas today each can be different.

“This is a major step for the UK as we put in place the foundations on which our [the UK’s] future transport and delivery infrastructure will be built”, said Richard Parker, Altitude Angel, CEO and founder.

“By rolling out our platform to all airports, we’re saying to the world the UK is ready and open to UAS and crewed aircraft, sharing the same skies, safely and securely. By bringing the digitisation of drone approvals in managed airspace, we’ve cleared the first hurdle on the path to automated drone operations.”

Altitude Angel’s UTM Ready programme will classify airports in one of three categories depending on its ability to approve drone operations digitally, and also sets out a pathway for advancing airports from one level to the next.

A UTM Ready airport will have full digital approvals available. These facilities have deployed compatible UTM services which enable Altitude Angel (or any 3^rd party connected to it) to submit and receive full digital flight authorisations. If using Altitude Angel’s GuardianUTM services, these airports can enable automation or deep integration with existing airport systems, including Counter-UAS.
Those classified as Basic will have no digital approvals, but support electronic notification, typically via email.
Legacy airports have no published electronic means of obtaining digital approvals. Instead, these facilities will typically only offer slow, or analogue means of seeking approval such as via fax, or a telephone call.

In May, Altitude Angel released several significant upgrades to Drone Assist which included a feature providing a direct connection to Altitude Angel’s UTM platform, offering ‘one-tap flight authorisations’ at connected airports and facilities worldwide. Already established as the flight planning app for professional and recreational drone pilots alike, Drone Assist is the foundation stone on which the UK can build a £40billion drone economy.

For more information on Approval Services visit here, and for UTM Ready visit here.

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CAA Review by DfT. 62% of RPAS operators disagree.

The Department for Transport announced the publication of the CAA’s performance review. If you remember, the consultation was open to the public and we invited you to respond. Also, ARPAS-UK responded and took part in workshops alongside General Aviation.

To read the announcement by Baroness VERE, Minister for Aviation, click HERE.

Yet, behind the headline, the summary of stakeholders feedback paints an interesting picture of stakeholders’ feedback.

In particular, 62% of RPAS operators responded they disagreed or strongly disagreed that the CAA was efficient and effective. And all things considered, a good number of drone operators responded to the consultation.

Beyond the RPAS community, respondents overall disagreed that the CAA seeks feedback, engages regularly with those regulated and stakeholders, or fosters innovation and growth.

Our response was along the same lines, with key messages as follows:

“In this context of high growth and unprecedented innovation, the CAA is dramatically under-resourced for the current manual workflows for RPAS. Although there are highly skilled individuals in the team who are very well-intentioned and willing to help, there are not enough of them. Retention also appears to be an issue.
As a result, we have to disagree that the CAA has the right capacity and capabilities to fulfil its focus area, to consistently perform oversight, to make regulatory decisions in an efficient manner, nor to be able to prepare new regulatory framework in a timely manner, nor to support technological innovation.”

To review the full summary of stakeholders feedback, click HERE. Highlights of the summary feedback below:

What respondents said about CAA’s performance

Overall, organisations often responded neutrally to the call for evidence, with 29% of their responses being ‘neither agree nor disagree’. Other responses were, 26% were disagree, 20% were strongly disagree, 22% were agree, and 3% were strongly agree.

Remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) operator organisations responded the most negatively, with 62% of their responses being disagree or strongly disagree. Organisations regulated by the CAA for consumer protection responded the most positively to the survey, with almost 58% of their responses being agree or strongly agree.

Responses to questions on feedback

The call for evidence asked respondents a range of questions about how they were able to give feedback to the CAA and how they thought it was used. These questions received some of the most negative responses. In particular:

question 30.1 – 69% of respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed that the CAA seeks feedback to improve its performance
question 30.2 –72% of respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed that the CAA seeks feedback to improve its customer service
question 33 –73% of respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed that the CAA acts upon customer feedback

Individuals (77%) were considerably more negative than organisations (55%) in this area.

Responses to questions on engagement

Overall, respondents tended to respond negatively on the theme of engagement. The most negative responses were to the CAA’s engagement with those regulated, where 66% strongly disagreed or disagreed (question 29.5) and stakeholders, where 63% strongly disagreed or disagreed (question 29.1).

Responses to questions on growth and innovation

Just under three-quarters of individuals and around 60% of organisations responded negatively to question 24. The GA community responding as individuals – including pilots (commercial and private) and professional drone operators – were particularly strongly negative. There were more mixed views across different types of organisations. Remote pilot aviation system operators were the most negative and airlines and some representative bodies giving positive responses.

Overview of individuals and organisations who responded to the call for evidence

Respondent type	Number of responses
Individuals	287
On behalf of an organisation	157
Total	444

Category of organisation respondents	Number of organisation respondents by category
Trade / Representative organisations	36
Remotely piloted aircraft systems	29
Other	24
Airline and tour operator	23
An aircraft design, production or maintenance organisation	11
Aviation training and/or examination provider	10
Airports	9
Advanced air mobility / Space organisations	6
Government / Political	4
Cargo Operators	3
Air navigation providers	2
Total	157

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Aerofirm & ARPAS-UK successful in Future Flight: Closing the Skills Gap Funding Bid

Aerofirm and ARPAS-UK are delighted to announce they have been awarded funding as part of the Future Flight Challenge: Closing the Skills Gap competition.

The project concerns the quantification of risks within complex drone operations, where there is currently a skills gap within the industry. Whilst this approach is used in other sectors, such as traditional manned aviation, its application is very domain specific and it is not yet widely used for drones.

The course will cover the fundamentals of risk quantification then take a deep dive into the specific aspects associated with drone operation such as platform, air and ground risks, human factors and target levels of safety. These topics will be underpinned by case studies and worked examples showing how the techniques are applied to real world situations.

The ultimate output will be a training course that supports the generation of both complex and scalable BVLOS safety cases. It will provide not only the tools needed to achieve this, but develop a mindset which needs to be embodied in any current and future organisation, as the responsibility of the operation is not just in the hands of the author but of all the staff in a company. The course will pull the UK drone industry back to the front of the queue, bringing jobs, investment and unlocking the skies.

Dr Owen McAree, Director of Aerofirm, said: “With this course we aim to help upskill the UK drone industry in the quantification of the risks associated with scalable BVLOS operation. This approach is fundamental in transitioning the industry from todays small scale trials to widespread commercially viable operations, whilst also highlighting the areas of technology development needed to unlock future scalability”

Anne-Lise Scaillierez, CEO of ARPAS-UK, said: “This project will create a course to underpin scalable BVLOS operations. Training operators to understand risk and how to put a number to each element will help to enable safe rollout of BVLOS in the UK. This is fundamental to expanding the drone industry in the UK.”

This course will be developed alongside the soon to be launched ARPAS-UK BVLOS Technical Special Interest Group, which is the companion group which will help to supply the data needed to support BVLOS operations. It is also aligned with the NATS BVLOS Forum which contains the UK’s premier drone operators who will be the ones to write the safety case.

To express interest in the ARPAS BVLOS Technical SIG:

Contact:

[email protected]

About Aerofirm:

Aerofirm Ltd are experts in the technical aspects of commercial drone operations with a focus on safety engineering. Director, Dr Owen McAree, previously worked as a researcher and Head of Flight Operations at a number of top UK universities where he oversaw drone operations around the world and published over 40 peer-reviewed articles on topics ranging from artificial intelligence to risk quantification. During this time he gained experience in developing and delivering course material for students from a diverse academic background.

For more information visit: www.linkedin.com/company/aerofirm/about/

About ARPAS-UK:

Founded in 2013, ARPAS-UK’s objective is to collectively achieve the benefits of using drones for its members, the UK economy and wider society. ARPAS-UK is the only non-commercial professional body, solely representing the drone community in the UK.

As well as promoting Best Practice, the Association also encourages a culture of collaboration and information sharing so that members are better informed and better prepared to make the most from market opportunities. Promoting our members and the standards we set, enables end users to easily identify the best and most appropriate operators to hire for their specific needs.

For more information about us: About Us – ARPAS UK

For more information on joining: Joining Info – ARPAS UK

The Future Flight Challenge

The Future Flight challenge at UK Research and Innovation and delivered by Innovate UK, has over the past few years invested £125 million in funding to develop and show integrated aviation systems and new vehicle technologies. The Skills Gap is part of this funding and will invest up to £500,000 into projects that can create and deliver course content and materials to support skills, talent and training across the future flight sector.

For more about the Future Flight Challenge: UKRI Challenge Fund – UKRI

Mohammed Hasan

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CAA Consultation: Shape the Future of Remote Pilot Competency

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) have announced an essential consultation regarding the future of remote pilot competency. This consultation presents a significant chance for our industry to shape the regulatory landscape and ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for remote pilots and operators.

Overview of the Consultation

The CAA have released a proposal that covers various aspects of RPAS policy work, including rulemaking, medical standards, and competency frameworks for remote pilots. They are seeking input from all UAS industry stakeholders, including Recognised Assessment Entities (RAEs), remote pilots, and operators. This consultation aims to gather diverse views and opinions early in the policy development process to understand the potential impact on RAEs and the broader UAS industry.

Why Your Participation Matters

Your views and feedback are crucial to shaping the future of remote pilot competency regulations in the specific category. By participating in this consultation, you have the opportunity to influence the development of policies and frameworks that directly impact your operations. Your valuable insights can help ensure that the regulations are practical, effective, and reflective of the industry’s needs. This is an occasion for you to make your voice heard and contribute to the growth and advancement of the UAS sector.

How to Get Involved

Click Here to read more on the CAA website.

Closing Date: 23 August 2023

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CAA: https://consultations.caa.co.uk/rpas/remote-pilot-competency-rpcwg/

Mohammed Hasan

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Protected: REG SIG Quarterly Activity Update (Members Only)

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BT Group and SkyLift Achieve Milestones in UK Drone Operations: Advanced Communication and Safety Systems for Scalable BVLOS Missions

BT Group and, esteemed ARPAS-UK member SkyLift, recently achieved significant milestones in the field of drone operations in the UK. They successfully conducted demonstration flights utilising fellow ARPAS-UK Member, uAvionix’s SkyLine cloud-based command and control (C2) system, which communicated over C-Band and LTE. These flights accomplished two firsts for the UK’s unmanned aerial system (UAS) operations.

Firstly, the demonstration involved operational Command and Non-Payload Communications (CNPC) C2 systems using C-Band and LTE via BT’s Drone SIM. This demonstrated the viability of assured CNPC C2 communications for UAS, meeting the proposed Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) UAS EC standard by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). It offers a reliable and integrated airspace solution for safe BVLOS missions.

Secondly, the demonstration involved the transmission of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) OUT on 978 MHz, enabling detect and avoid (DAA) operations. By utilising uAvionix’s technology, the drone could effectively detect and avoid potential obstacles, enhancing the safety of the operations.

“Today’s successful operations at Bentwaters Park represent a significant milestone necessary for scaling BVLOS operations to meet desired business objectives,” said Toby Moores, SkyLift CEO. “Use of SkyLine with BT’s Drone SIM and aviation C-Band for Command and Control coupled with ADS-B OUT for Electronic Conspicuity and the SkyFleet Ground Control System provided our operators continuous, assured control of the aircraft and unparalleled situational awareness throughout all the flights. The technology was easily integrated into our aircraft and ground control system and deployed through a process that we can quickly replicate for businesses seeking to achieve scalable BVLOS operations.”

The SkyLift team operated its fixed wing UAS from Bentwaters Park, an ex-Royal Air Force/USAF airfield two hours from London utilizing their SkyFleet Ground Control System. Nearby Adastral Park, home of BT Group’s innovation labs, served as the location for a fixed, remote ground radio station (GRS) approximately 12 kilometers southwest. There are multiple BT LTE towers in the area and two mobile GRS with LTE backhaul connectivity were also deployed.

sustainable development, landscape, environment-4137481.jpg

“At Etc., the incubation team within BT Group’s Digital unit, we are keenly focused on the UK becoming a leader for commercial drone operations. Achieving these two firsts in one afternoon is significant and demonstrates how quickly we can integrate and deploy our technology for BVLOS missions,” said Ed Hunter, Senior Product Manager – Drones at Etc. “Collaborating with SkyLift and uAvionix brought together two cloud-based systems powered by EE’s advanced LTE connectivity and purpose-built Drone SIM, which is currently being trialed across the UK to deliver ultra reliable communications that can be scaled across many industries, from drone-enabled medical deliveries to power line inspections and search and rescue.”

Two flights were conducted to independently verify the BT Drone SIM connection and the uAvionix aviation C-Band data links. The third and final flight demonstrated the optimized use of both the BT Drone SIM and aviation C-Band datalinks for fully operational CNPC C2. Successful link management and make-before-break connections between the two datalinks were achieved using the uAvionix SkyLine UAS BVLOS cloud-based service and hardware including a SkyStation5060POE GRS, two SkyStation5060LTE mobile GRS, a muLTElink5060 airborne radio system with the BT Drone SIM, and a uAvionix truFYX GPS installed on the aircraft. In concert, the flight also demonstrated the use of ADS-B OUT transmission from the aircraft on 978 MHz for Electronic Conspicuity. The signal was provided by a uAvionix microUAT device.

Callum Holland, Transformation Lead for Future Safety & Innovation at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said, “The CAA is committed to enabling the adoption of new technologies and standards to facilitate the wider integration of RPAS into UK airspace. We’re proud to have supported the UK’s first RPAS integration of ADS-B Out, operating on 978MHz, as well as a Command Link operating simultaneously over 4G LTE and in the C-Band protected aviation spectrum. This demonstration represents both our commitment to delivering the Electronic Conspicuity vision, as outlined within the Airspace Modernisation Strategy, and facilitating the adoption of high assurance datalinks for RPAS command and control.”

The achievements at Bentwaters Park underline the progress made in the field of drone communication and safety systems, providing a foundation for the expansion of infrastructure across the country. With continued collaboration and technological advancements, the UK is positioned to lead the way in commercial drone operations.

Enjoyed the Article? Follow the links below to read more:

uAvionix: www.uavionix.com

Skylift: https://www.skyliftuav.co.uk/

BT group: www.bt.com/about

Ect. : https://www.linkedin.com/company/etcatbtgroup/about/

The contents of this article were inspired by and based on information sourced from an article by uAvionix. We acknowledge and appreciate their valuable insights and contributions to the field of drone operations and communication systems.

Mohammed Hasan

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Call for Expertise: Routine UAS BVLOS Operations in shared airspace. Unique opportunity to shape UK roadmap. Contribute now! DfT-led UK Strategic Action Plan work.

The Department for Transport is coordinating a high level group, co-chaired with Duncan Walker of Skyports, that includes high level representatives of Gov’t, DFT, CAA, and Industry, including ARPAS-UK.

The objective is to converge on a UK UAS and e-VTOL roadmap, and associated CAA roadmaps. This is a unique opportunity to shape the direction and speed of our industry’s evolution. The 2 main areas of focus are:

The evolution of the Specific Category combined with the airspace integration strategy, encapsulated in the strategic outcome of: “Routine UAS BVLOS operations at scale in airspace shared with other users”
The emergence of Advanced Air Mobility, encapsulated in the strategic outcome of “ Routine Piloted eVTOL Flight Operations”, followed by “Initial remotely piloted/autonomous VTOL operations”.

The group is not public and no official communication is made at this stage. We will respect that status. However, detailed input beyond the general vision is required now so that the first draft reflects market needs and is backed by expertise on the ground. First workshops are being set up in the first half of July to discuss specific sub-topics.

We are keen to engage with membership, with a view to provide the best input to the group, meaning educated positions and expertise that help the authorities’ understanding and help the industry as a whole move forward.

If you have relevant expertise on Routine UAS BVLOS in shared airspace and can contribute, on an occasional basis or on a regular basis, please register your interest through the survey form HERE.

An equivalent call for expertise is launched for Piloted EVTOL.

Thank you for your contribution.