Introduction by Sofema Aviation Services (SAS). Extracted from Basic Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 & Annex IX Essential Requirements for Unmanned Aircraft.
Note – Text is heavily redacted for improved ease of understanding – please refer to original for legal transcription.
Introduction – Operation of Unmanned Aircraft
The operator of an unmanned aircraft is responsible for the operation and must take any appropriate actions to ensure the safety of the operation.
A flight must be performed in accordance with the applicable laws, regulations and procedures, pertinent to the performance of their duties, prescribed for the area, airspace, aerodromes or sites planned to be used and, where applicable, related ATM/ANS systems.
Operations with unmanned aircraft must ensure the safety of third parties on the ground and of other airspace users and minimize the risks resulting from adverse external and internal conditions, including environmental conditions, through maintaining appropriate separation distance during all phases of the flight.
Unmanned aircraft must be operated only if it is in airworthy condition and where the equipment and the other components and services necessary for the intended operation are available and serviceable.
The operator of an unmanned aircraft must ensure that the aircraft has the necessary navigation, communication, surveillance, detect and avoid equipment, as well as any other equipment deemed necessary for the safety of the intended flight, taking account of the nature of the operation, air traffic regulations and rules of the air applicable during any phase of the flight.
Operator Obligations
The operator and (the remote pilot) of an unmanned aircraft must be aware of the applicable Union and national rules relating to the intended operations, in particular with regard to:
- safety
- privacy
- data protection
- liability
- insurance
- security and
- environmental protection
The operator and the remote pilot must be able to ensure the safety of operation and safe separation of the unmanned aircraft from people on the ground and from other airspace users.
This includes good knowledge of the operating instructions provided by the producer, safe and environmentally-friendly use of unmanned aircraft in the airspace, and of all relevant functionalities of the unmanned aircraft and applicable rules of the air and ATM/ANS procedures.
The organisation must implement and maintain a management system to ensure compliance with the relevant essential requirements, manage safety risks and aim for continuous improvement of this system.
Such a management system must be proportionate to the organisation’s type of activity and size!
Any equipment to control the unmanned aircraft remotely involved in the operation must be so as to facilitate flight operations, including means providing situational awareness, and management of any expected situation and emergencies.
Persons involved in the operation of unmanned aircraft
Any person involved in the operation of an unmanned aircraft, including the remote pilot, shall possess the required knowledge and skills necessary to ensure the safety of the operation and proportionate to the risk associated with the type of operation.
This person shall also demonstrate medical fitness, if this is necessary to mitigate the risks involved in the operation concerned.
Organisation SMS & Reporting
The organisation must establish an occurrence reporting system, as part of the safety management system, in order to contribute to the continuous improvement of safety.
Such reporting system must be proportionate to the organisation’s type of activity and size;
The organisation must establish arrangements, where relevant, with other organisations to ensure continuing compliance with the essential requirements.
Registration
Operators of unmanned aircraft shall be registered where they operate any of the following:
(a) unmanned aircraft which, in the case of impact, can transfer, to a human, kinetic energy above 80 Joules;
Note to improve understanding of the use of Joules – In classical mechanics, kinetic energy (KE) is equal to half of an object’s mass (1/2*m) multiplied by the velocity squared.
For example, if a an object with a mass of 10 kg (m = 10 kg) is moving at a velocity of 5 meters per second (v = 5 m/s), the kinetic energy is equal to 125 Joules, or (1/2 * 10 kg) * 5 m/s2.
(b) unmanned aircraft the operation of which presents risks to privacy, protection of personal data, security or the environment.
(c) unmanned aircraft the design of which is subject to certification
“Taking into account the objectives and the principles set out in Articles 1 and 4, and in particular the nature and risk of the activity concerned, the operational characteristics of the unmanned aircraft concerned and the characteristics of area of operation, a certificate may be required for the design, production, maintenance and operation of unmanned aircraft and their engines, propellers, parts, non-installed equipment and equipment to control them remotely, as well as for the personnel, including remote pilots, and organisations involved in those activities”
Design & Construction
If necessary to mitigate risks pertaining to safety, privacy, protection of personal data, security or the environment, arising from the operation, the unmanned aircraft must have the corresponding and specific features and functionalities which take into account the principles of privacy and protection of personal data by design and by default.
Note – The organisation responsible for the production or for the marketing of the unmanned aircraft must provide information to the operator of an unmanned aircraft and, where relevant, to the maintenance organisation on the kind of operations for which the unmanned aircraft is designed together with the limitations and information necessary for its safe operation, including operational and environmental performance, airworthiness limitations and emergency procedures.
Airworthiness
Unmanned aircraft must be safely controllable and maneuverable, as necessary under all anticipated operating conditions including following the failure of one or, if appropriate, more systems. Due account must be taken of human-factor considerations, in particular available knowledge about factors conducive to safe operation of technology by humans.
Unmanned aircraft and their engines, propellers, parts, non-installed equipment, and equipment to control the unmanned aircraft remotely must function as intended under any foreseeable operating conditions, throughout, and sufficiently beyond, the operation for which the aircraft was designed.
Further Guidance
Sofema Aviation Services (SAS) www.sassofia.com & Sofema Online (SOL) www.sofemaonline.com provides EASA Compliant Regulatory and Vocational Training across multiple operational environments including the operation of unmanned aircraft.
For requests & further details, please contact office@sassofia.com
Tags:
EASA Environment, Airworthiness, Aerodromes, Drones, Unmanned Aircraft, Operation of Unmanned Aircraft
