Traditional wind turbine inspections involve technicians physically climbing turbines to check for damage, a method that is time-consuming, labour-intensive, and risky, particularly in harsh weather. This process typically covers only 2-5 turbines per day and may result in incomplete inspections due to limited access to certain blade areas.
Drone inspections reduce costs by 25% and can cover 10-12 turbines per day, whilst also keeping personnel on the ground, removing risk associated with working at height.
Read our most recent Drones in Action Report in full
The report explores how drones are transforming industries – from asset inspection and precision agriculture to complex oil and gas infrastructures – enhancing efficiency, safety, and sustainability across sectors. We update every 6 months.
Protected: ONLINE EVENT: REGISTER for UK SORA – ARPAS-UK Members Update and Q&As – 6 June
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Protected: ARPAS-UK Annual Conference 2025: A Review
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Excited to welcome Craig Lippett and Amanda Smith at ARPAS-UK’s Board and Advisory Board.
Graham Brown stepped down as Chair of ARPAS-UK but remains a Director, focusing on Education and Careers in Drones.
Cranfield University provided an excellent venue to hold the ARPAS-UK AGM and Annual Conference – and they even came through on the weather. What a sun-filled, glorious day! We extend our thanks to Professor Braithwaite’s Team and Alex Williamson for all their help and support.
Evolution of the Board of Directors
The AGM covered Association business.
We thank Chris Daniels of FlareBright for his time and support as a Director as he steps down as Director but remains engaged with the organisation as part of the Advisory Board.
Aleks Kowalski stepped down by rotation and was re-elected as a Director.
In addition, members elected Craig Lippett, of Eagle Eye Innovations, as a Director. Craig will focus on Policy and Regulation.
Craig stated, ‘I’m delighted to be appointed as a Director of ARPAS-UK for the coming year. I look forward to bringing my drone sector experience, knowledge and network to bear in addressing the key questions and challenges facing our members in the various drone use cases they seek to deliver and expand in the future. The focus naturally is on the evolving regulation landscape, how they may impact member’s business cases and how the Association will support them in engaging with the regulator to provide feedback on key subjects such as UK SORA and Drone Class Marking. I aim to provide a focal point for those efforts in the coming months‘.
Graham Brown has now stepped down as Chair of ARPAS-UK but remains a Director, focusing on Education and Careers in Drones. We thank him for all his tireless energy in promoting the UK drone industry and ARPAS-UK members for the past 7 years.
The Board of Directors at ARPAS-UK
Evolution of the Advisory Board
Amanda Smith, Drone Programme Lead at Sellafield Ltd, steps up to chair the Advisory Board and takes on Graham’s mantle of Drone Promotion. Amanda will serve as ARPAS-UK’s figurehead championing industry adoption and engagement with end-users. We welcome her to the role.
Joining her on the Advisory Board are Emily Butt, Leicestershire Search & Rescue Drone Lead, Phil Hicks, Pravo Consulting, Mike Hibberd, Texo, Rowley Cory-Wright & Matt Rake, StirlingX.
A strong team!
1 May 2025
Anne-Lise Scaillierez, Director and CEO, also presented the 2024 financial results of ARPAS-UK.
Fireside Chat 04 | UK SORA Means of Compliance Guide BSI Flex 1906
Join Anne-Lise Scaillierez, CEO of ARPAS-UK and Anthony Venetz, Director of Across Safety Development and Technical Author of BSI Flex 1906, as they discuss the UK SORA MoC Guide BSI Flex 1906.
UK SORA came into force on April 23, 2025.
Amongst the SORA requirements, some specifically call for the use of a standard or other means of compliance (MoC) acceptable to the CAA. In many instances, a specific standard or MoC has not yet been identified in UK SORA.
The main objective of this BSI Flex is to identify and simplify references to standards and MoC where these are specifically required in UK SORA and within the scope defined below. To achieve this, it draws largely upon the technical assessment of standards already conducted as part of Project Shepherd (2021-2024)1) and focuses on how those results relate specifically to the requirements relevant to the scope of this BSI Flex.
Anthony Venetz was the technical author of BSI Flex 1906, and Anne-Lise Scaillierez was part of the Flex Advisory Board on behalf of ARPAS-UK. Watch our fireside chat to quickly understand the purpose of BSI Flex 1906, and how you can effectively use it to support your UK SORA operational authorisation submissions.
Watch the Fireside Chat 04 below and remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel, and hit the notification bell! Alternatively, listen to this new update on Spotify.
In this third episode of the ARPAS-UK Fireside Chat series, Directors Anne-Lise Scaillierez and David Thurston discuss the UK government’s recent announcement on drone class marking and the appointment of the Market Surveillance Authority (MSA).
Join CEO Anne-Lise Scaillierez and Rupert Dent, Director of ARPAS-UK for our Fireside Chat 02. In this episode, Anne-Lise and Rupert discuss the UK SORA published by the CAA, on the 3 March 2025.
25 April 2025
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Grey Arrows Drone Club Extends Insurance to Commercial Drone Operations
ARPAS-UK member Grey Arrows Drone Club is pleased to announce that its Gold Membership now includes full Public Liability Insurance (PLI) cover for commercial drone operations, in addition to existing recreational use.
This enhancement marks a significant step forward in the club’s continued commitment to supporting the UK drone community with meaningful, practical benefits.
Gold Members are now covered by £5,000,000 of Public Liability Insurance, whether flying recreationally or conducting small-scale commercial work. This includes, but is not limited to, roof inspections, real estate photography, aerial filming, and other side-gig operations – providing peace of mind and legal protection for members who generate up to £15,000 per year from drone-related activities.
The policy is EC Regulation 785/2004 compliant, ensuring it meets the required standards for commercial drone operations within the UK.
Gold Membership remains just £25 per year, offering members an unmatched range of benefits – now including dual-use insurance cover.
About Grey Arrows Drone Club:
Grey Arrows Drone Club is the UK’s leading club for drone enthusiasts. Through it platform, Drone Scene, members can access an interactive map of flight information, airspace restrictions, planning tools, and now comprehensive insurance protection for both recreational and commercial drone operations.
Protected: Interpol Counter UAS Exercises: Get Involved
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CAA: CAP3098: Guidance on Cyber Safety Objectives for Specific Category Operations
As part of the Specific Operation Risk Assessment (SORA) framework for Remote Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) operations in the specific category, the Civil Aviation Authority have considered the Cyber Safety Extension which was published as part of JARUS SORA 2.5 and produced this guidance for operators.
Drones in Action: Live Flare Stack Offshore Inspection
Drones in Action End User Stories:
Traditional inspections of live flare stacks offshore require shutting down operations which can cost up to £4 million per day and are hazardous due to extreme heights and heat.
Drones are now being employed by companies for offshore inspections, enabling pilots to operate safely from shore while drones perform complex data collection tasks over the sea.
Read our most recent Drones in Action Report in full
The report explores how drones are transforming industries – from asset inspection and precision agriculture to complex oil and gas infrastructures – enhancing efficiency, safety, and sustainability across sectors. We update every 6 months.
CAA: Test and Evaluation Annual Report 2024-25 released: CAP 3099
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has released its inaugural Test and Evaluation (T&E) Annual Report for 2024–2025, marking a significant step in advancing aviation innovation within the UK. The report highlights the T&E Team’s efforts in facilitating safe, efficient, and data-driven test flights, aligning with national initiatives like the Airspace Modernisation Strategy (AMS), UKRI Future Flight Challenge, and the Department for Transport’s Future Flight Industry programme.
Establishment and Strategic Focus
Established a year ago, the T&E Team aims to support the CAA’s mission by enabling test flights in integrated airspace. Their work centers on three strategic priorities:
Data and Intelligence Gathering: The team has actively conducted test and evaluation activities to acquire data informing emerging policy areas, such as Detect and Avoid (DAA) and Atypical Air Environment (AAE) policies. This data-driven approach allows the CAA to test hypotheses, refine policy concepts, and enhance regulatory decision-making.
Facilitation and Support of T&E Operations: By supporting industry operators in obtaining necessary authorisations and approvals, including through Regulatory Sandboxes, the team has enabled the safe execution of test flights, generating valuable insights for both regulators and industry stakeholders.
Enabling Industry Testing: Recognising the need for industry to conduct independent trials efficiently, the T&E Team has developed best practices that allow operators to perform testing without direct CAA supervision. This includes exploring alternative means of compliance (AltMoC) in key policy areas such as Electronic Conspicuity (EC) and DAA, ensuring safety while reducing regulatory burden.
Key Achievements
Over the past year, the T&E Team has made significant strides in facilitating test and evaluation activities, gathering critical data, and streamlining regulatory processes to enhance efficiency. Their collaborative approach with industry stakeholders has been fundamental in enabling data-driven decision-making within the CAA. Data collected from operations is being used to refine policy concepts and will facilitate progress in key areas such as DAA and UAS Traffic Management (UTM), which are critical to scaled integrated UAS operations in the future.
Looking Ahead
The T&E Team plans to continue refining its approach, strengthening collaboration with industry, and leveraging insights from testing activities to shape future policy and regulatory frameworks. By enhancing the UK’s ability to support aviation innovation while maintaining the highest safety standards, the T&E function is poised to play a crucial role in the evolution of the UK’s airspace and aviation capabilities.
