Can I fly there?

The Federal Aviation Administration’s 2016 Aerospace Forecast predicted that in three years’ time over seven million drones are expected to be shipped to the United States, with 2.7 million for commercial users and 4.3 million for hobbyists. While similar forecasts are not readily available for Australia, there is nothing to suggest we won’t see a similar trend here.

So the integration of a large quantity of new drones into Australia’s airspace requires an appropriate level of regulatory oversight to ensure that aviation safety is not affected.

But the AAA is also very conscious that while the increased prevalence of drones does raise genuine safety issues, they also present significant opportunities for innovation – even within airports themselves. It is conceivable that – with the appropriate safety controls and management systems in place – drones could be used by airport operators for certain airside tasks such as visual inspections of runways for debris and other hazards, inspections of various airside assets, or even as a wildlife hazard management tool. Using drones for these traditionally manual and time-consuming tasks could deliver significant benefits to airports and their customers.

While there are opportunities to leverage drone technology to benefit the airport and aviation sector, the most challenging issue to manage is how other drone users may inadvertently or otherwise compromise aviation safety by breaching controlled airspace. Regulations require drones not to be operated within 3mn (5.5km) of the movement area of a controlled aerodrome but there is concern operators – in particular amateur users – may not be familiar with controlled airspace boundaries. While major city airports are generally more easily identifiable there is a concern that smaller GA and regional airports may not be as well known.

Given the lack of enforcement and limited public awareness of airspace restrictions around aerodromes, the continued infringements by drones is a substantial risk. While licensed commercial operators may be expected to be more familiar with airspace restrictions, it is unlikely that hobbyists will have the required depth of knowledge to understand the potential aviation safety hazards posed by inappropriate use of drones.

However, the AAA welcomes the steps taken by CASA recently to try and address this issue through the release of its ‘Can I fly there?’ drone safety app. The easy-touse smartphone app illustrates where you’re not allowed to fly drones. These areas include within 5.5km of controlled aerodromes, in approach and departure paths of non-controlled aerodromes and helicopter landing sites, as well as in restricted or military airspace. The app also highlights ‘caution’ areas around unregistered aerodromes where aircraft could be flying.

The ‘Can I fly there?’ drone app reflects the standard operating conditions for those flying their drone commercially (under the excluded category of commercial operations) and is a valuable educational and situational awareness tool for both commercial and recreational drone flyers. The AAA believes that providing continued education and safety awareness information to the general public, as well as commercial users, is essential in limiting drone-related safety incidents.

While improved education and awareness of the safety issues will be useful, the AAA does believe there is an opportunity for the government to improve its regulatory oversight of drone operations. The Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee is currently undertaking an inquiry which is looking at a wide range of issues relating to the regulatory requirements that impact on the safe use of drones and the AAA has provided a submission to this inquiry that recommends improvements to the current regulatory framework.

The AAA has recommended the committee consider the merits of establishing of a mandatory registration scheme for all RPAS of 250 grams or more through an online portal administered by CASA. This simple registration process would allow for owners of drones to provide sufficient detail to identify the remotely-pilot aircraft and its operator in the event of an incident. More importantly, this registration process should also include a requirement for the person to review and acknowledge the regulatory and safety requirements of operating the drone. For drones greater than 2kg (including payload), the AAA has recommended developing regulations to mandate default safety parameters on the control software/aircraft firmware, such as height limitations, maximum distance from takeoff point and integrate no-flight zones, through geo-fencing on their GPS units. This technology is already within the capability of many drones and would prevent users operating the aircraft outside standard operating procedures, unless appropriate permissions have been sought from CASA, the airport and Airservices.

Developments in drone technology will undoubtedly continue to present many opportunities and challenges in the years ahead. In addition to more public awareness and education, establishing a flexible and effective regulatory framework will be the key to addressing RPAS safety issues in a manner that does not stifle innovation and growth. The AAA looks forward to continue working with the government to develop practical and effective policy solutions to this exciting and complex issue.