Regulatory Matters

<p>Following the recent sudden announcement of Flight Restriction Zones around protected aerodromes capturing the operation of all unmanned aircraft of any weight and at any height (and the unreasonable three week notice period given for our clubs and members to comply), the CAA have dropped yet another bombshell on us with no prior warning.</p> <p>They … Read More

<p>** IMPORTANT UPDATE ** CAA PROPOSALS PLEASE READ &amp; SHARE **</p> <p>We would like to thank all members who have responded to the CAA consultation at <a href="https://consultations.caa.co.uk/finance/drone-registration/">https://consultations.caa.co.uk/finance/drone-registration/</a> and who have written to the Aviation Minister, CAA CEO and your local MPs’</p> <p>Yesterday (3/5/2019), the BMFA's CEO has been contacted and asked to attend a … Read More

<p>Representatives of the UK Model Flying Associations met with the CAA yesterday afternoon (29th May 2019).</p> <p>The meeting was constructive, but without any real breakthrough to report at this stage. </p> <p>The CAA were only able to discuss potential options within the restrictive policy framework dictated by the DfT.  One such option is the possibility of … Read More

<p>The latest meeting between the Department for Transport (DfT), Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and representatives from the UK Model Flying Associations took place this afternoon (Friday 15th June) at the DfT offices in London.<br /><br />The most urgent matter to address was the recent change to the Air Navigation Order (ANO) which introduced (in Article 94A) a … Read More

<p>The recent 2018 amendments to the Air Navigation Order will come into effect on the 30th July, making it illegal to operate any unmanned aircraft (including model aircraft) above 400ft.<br /> <br /> The UK model flying associations (BMFA, SAA, LMA &amp; FPVUK) have been working in close collaboration in ongoing negotiations with the Department for … Read More

<p>The Government has today published their consultation ‘Taking Flight: The Future of Drones in the UK’. The measures in the consultation are part of the Governments wider drones programme and strategy, and will help shape the content of a draft Drones Bill which will be published later this year, as well as other future measures. </p> … Read More

<p>The latest drafts of the EASA regulations for unmanned aircraft were published recently by the European Commission and contain a significant and positive development for model flyers.  DG MOVE (the European Transport Commission) submitted a proposal to remove model flying conducted within Associations/Clubs from the EASA regulations and this seems to have gained acceptance.</p> <p>The … Read More

<p>The Department for Transport has published the Government’s response to the public consultation on the Future of Drones in the UK.  There were 5061 responses to the consultation with 1947 respondents identifying themselves as ‘model flyers’ and 2310 identifying themselves as ‘using drones for leisure’.</p> <p>Several members have suggested that the publication is a knee … Read More

<p><a name="_Hlk1646043"></a><strong>DfT publishes amendments to the Air Navigation Order.</strong></p> <p>The Department for Transport (DfT) yesterday published further amendments to the Air Navigation Order which impact on all users of Small Unmanned Aircraft, including the model flying community.  <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-drone-safety-partnership-with-business-launched-as-government-sets-out-plans-to-limit-drone-misuse">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-drone-safety-partnership-with-business-launched-as-government-sets-out-plans-to-limit-drone-misuse</a></p> <p>Further details of the amendments can be found in CAP1763 (as the CAA have the unenviable … Read More

<p>All Party Parliamentary Group has supported the BMFA, announcing that the new set of regulations intended to tighten rules on drone operators is in danger of having a disproportionately negative effect on the model flying community.</p> <p> </p> <p>See the link below for the press release from the APPG</p> <p><a href="http://www.generalaviationappg.uk/new-drones-law-punishes-british-model-flying-community/" target="_blank">http://www.generalaviationappg.uk/new-drones-law-punishes-british-model-flying-community/</a></p> <p> </p>