Drone operator Delair has received EU beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) certification in compliance with European regulations recently published by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The company says the authorisation strengthens its capability to assist its customers and partners in carrying out their European drone operations in a simple and future-safe manner.
Currently, the national regulations in Europe are still in place, but they will transition to the European-wide regulations starting from 31 December 2020. Delair is one of the first to receive approval according to the Predefined Risk Assessment #01 (technically referred to as “PDRA-01”), a standardized scenario for BVLOS operations.
Obtaining the authorization to fly a drone traditionally requires following the national rules, which differ largely depending on where you are in the world. Some countries have been known to be very restrictive, whereas other countries have been early to implement clear and flexible guidelines. Recently defined regulations from the European Union will now make access to drone operations throughout the union much simpler, no matter which member state you are operating in.
Delair’s experience in operating drones goes back more than a decade. Delair is also a member of regulatory working groups and is part of global efforts to establish safe and accessible regulations. The company operates globally across many industries and works in areas including mines and aggregates, infrastructure and utilities, power lines, agriculture and forestry, construction, oils and gas, railways, roads, pipelines, and industrial surveillance. One of the most efficient ways of collecting aerial imagery is by use of drones, but operating drones involves first getting the authorization to fly. Obtaining the authorization to fly a drone traditionally requires following the national rules, which differ largely depending on where you are in the world. Some countries have been known to be very restrictive, whereas other countries have been early to implement clear and flexible guidelines. Recently defined regulations from the European Union will now make access to drone operations throughout the union much simpler, no matter which member state you are operating in.
According to a Delair press release, the new regulations from EASA will make it simpler to obtain and adhere to drone regulations, mainly because the rules will be the same across the union. But the rules also introduce other exciting changes, such as the possibility of operating BVLOS flights without the need to first have a commercial pilot certifications, which was otherwise often a prerequisite in the national BVLOS regulations.
EASA defines the following categories for drone operations:
- Open
Low risk. No pre-approval. Limited to drones weighing up to 25kg and flying below 120m. Only VLOS. - Specific
Increased risk. Authorization by NAA (National Aviation Authority) based on Specific Operation Risk Assessment (SORA). - Certified
Risk as manned aviation. Requires certification of UAS and operator.
A part of BVLOS flights fall into the “Specific” category and the first type of BVLOS operations are defined by what is referred to as the “PDRA-01” (Pre-Defined Risk Assessment). Delair has obtained the authorization for PDRA-01 flights for its Delair UX11 UAS and we can therefore also assist our partners and customers on this category of operations.
For more information visit:
