The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has unveiled its first formal opinion on safe and secure operations for small drones weighing up to 25kg in Europe.
The opinion is expected to help the European Commission to adopt concrete regulatory proposals regarding small drone flights later this year.
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EASA executive director Patrick Ky said: “This regulation will enable the free circulation of drones and a level playing field within the EU, while also respecting the privacy and security of EU citizens, and allowing the drone industry to remain agile, to innovate and continue to grow.”
The EASA opinion aims to establish simple rules with a strong focus on the operation in question, as flying the same drone over a city centre or the sea poses a completely different risk.
It combines product and aviation legislation, as well as stated that the design requirements of small drones to be brought into the European market will be implemented by using the Conformité Européenne (CE) marking for products.
The operator will find recommended consumer information on how to safely fly a drone in each drone package.
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By GlobalDataEASA’s newly proposed approach does not focus on the drone itself but considers various other elements, including the area where the drone is flown, who is flying the drone, or what kind of drone is being used in a particular flight.
Featured in the opinion, the ‘open’ category of operations’ can be conducted without a prior authorisation by the competent authority or a declaration by the operator before the operation.
The ‘specific’ category of operations requires an authorisation by the competent authority before flying a drone.
Among other aspects, the opinion will enable the EASA member states to define zones where drone operations will be either prohibited or restricted, or where certain requirements are terminated.
