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The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has proposed new rules for drones that would allow them to be used for inspecting infrastructure such as railways, powerlines and roads, or make crucial medical deliveries.
The regulator has launched a consultation to allow drones to operate beyond the line of sight of remote pilots. While some drones have been flying beyond visual line of sight in the UK for several years, these flights are primarily trials under strict restrictions.
The proposed measures could enable beyond line of sight operations of drones by remaining at low heights and close to buildings or infrastructure. This means drones can fly where it is anticipated there would be fewer aircraft operating.
“Our proposals are a positive step towards unlocking the next stage for drone flying in the UK,” said Kevin Woolsey, the CAA’s head of remotely piloted aircraft systems.
“Allowing drones to fly beyond the sight of the remote pilot, without placing restrictions on other aircraft in the area, will be a major achievement for UK drone operations.
“Safety comes first in everything we do and so we have identified sensible mitigations on where drones can fly using this proposed concept to make sure we maintain levels of safety.”
In October, Amazon said it was planning to launch a drove delivery service to customers in the UK and Italy by the end of 2024.
The MK30 drones will operate autonomously, and are equipped with sense-and-avoid technology that allows them to dodge obstacles in the delivery area.
The CAA said it plans to work with several operators to help implement its new rules in a “safe and scaled way” and admitted that operating close to infrastructure did present some risk to those on the ground. Operators will need to propose how they intend to mitigate the risks associated with drone flight.
The consultation will be open for six weeks from today and is available on the CAA’s website.
In 2022, the NHS began trialling the use of drones to deliver life-saving chemotherapy drugs in remote parts of the UK.
