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FEATURE Drone Technology
drones will be positioned in the organisational structure. If the use of drones is not designated to appointment holders then the natural movement of personnel within organisations can lead to a loss of skills, experience and momentum for drone operations within the company.
of them. The latest off the shelf drones are equipped with such levels of automation that the drones are, in most cases, capable of near full autonomous flight. The integration of GPS satellites, an internal magnetic compass, internal gyros and other sensors gives huge levels of safety to the user. The real complications in modern drones lies not with the flying of the drone but the understanding of what system you are using, and crucially the implications if that system has failed. This is something which we discuss in detail on our 2-day ground school course and there are any number of examples out there through YouTube and other sources which show you just what happens when people fail to consider the failure of such systems!
legislate for the use of drones. Where other countries sought to ban their use, Ireland recognised the need to integrate both manned and unmanned aviation. We will now look in a bit more detail at what the current Irish drone legislation means for those thinking about using drones in their day to day operations.
The final area we highlight to organisations is the need to ensure appropriate levels of training and upskilling to ensure that ultimately drone operations are conducted in a safe, responsible and legal manner. Drone licencing falls under the remit of the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA). Training requirements are laid down by the IAA through the relevant Drone legislation SI 563/2015. This will be discussed in greater detail in this article.
Statutory Instrument 563/2015 outlines what a user can and can’t do with their drone. Some of the key points are listed in the picture above.
Taking the necessary time to accurately assess the three areas mentioned above is, in my experience, crucial to an organisation achieving long term benefits from the use of drone technology. This is in no small way due to the nature of the technology itself, take for example the current market leading drones such as the DJI Mavic or DJI Phantom. I liken them to the early days of the mobile phone, we are very much at the outset of drones as mainstream commercial technology. The rate of technological advancement over the last number of years has continued apace and provided an organisation has a clear grasp of their vision, organisational structure and training then they will be suitably placed to gain further advantages as the technology continues to develop.
The rapid growth of drone technology has posed several challenges for legislators and public bodies throughout the world. By their nature drones now share the airspace used by commercial aircraft. This is not something which was really foreseen even ten years ago. Off the shelf drones costing as little as fifty euro have the capability to seriously impact on the safe operations of manned aviation. This was infamously demonstrated at Christmas of 2018 when multiple drone sightings shut London’s second busiest airport Gatwick over a two-day period. While we wait the official report on the incident, I would describe the event as a gamechanger for drone technology. This was the first time that we saw the deliberate targeting of commercial aviation by drones and the impact such targeting could have on operations.
This is then further enhanced by publications known as Aeronautical Notices. Aeronautical Notices are additional information or context to how the statutory instrument will be implemented. In Ireland there are three such notices which are applicable to drones. They deal with drone registration, training requirements and exemptions to allow drones fly in controlled airspace. So, what does this mean for you if you are considering buying a drone and using it in your organisation?
The statutory instrument sets out in broad strokes the overarching aims of the legislation.
When instructing on training courses, I often meet students who have little to no drone flying experience and even those who have yet to buy a drone themselves. There is a common misconception that the real challenge of drones is in the flying
I think it is important to highlight that this is where the importance of legislation, its enforcement and effective training come into play. Ireland has long been recognised as a world leader in commercial aviation, this is as applicable when it comes to drone legislation. Ireland was one of the first countries in Europe to
Firstly, you will have to register your drone with the IAA. This process is completed online, and you will receive a registration number specific to your drone. Secondly you will need to consider getting suitably trained. With the necessary training completed you will be able to apply to the IAA for a Pilot Competence Certificate (PCC) this qualification will allow you to apply to fly in controlled airspace. Controlled airspace is the
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