400ft Height Limit in 2018 Air Navigation Order - Update

[Rob Buckley]

The latest meeting between the Department for Transport (DfT), Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and representatives from the UK Model Flying Associations took place yesterday afternoon at the DfT offices in London.

The most urgent matter to address was the recent change to the Air Navigation Order (ANO) which introduced (in Article 94A) a 400ft height limit on the operation of all Small Unmanned Aircraft (SUA) which will come into effect on the 30th July 2018. Whilst the changes to the ANO are largely aimed at regulating 'drones', the 400ft restriction will also apply to model aircraft below 7Kg.

However, we are pleased to report that agreement was reached that the Model Flying Associations will collectively apply for an exemption from Article 94A to allow their members to continue operating model aircraft below 7Kg above 400ft as they do under the current ANO. The DfT and CAA were supportive of this course of action and did not foresee any reason why the exemption would not be in place in time for the 30th July.

Negotiations on the other changes introduced in the ANO, namely operator registration and online testing of pilots remain ongoing, but for now it is business as usual for members of the BMFA, LMA, SAA & FPVUK. Happy flying!

[david walker]

Rob, thanks for all the good work. Worked on Euro committees in the past and know its like pushing water up hill. Without yours and BMFA efforts we would all be playing with toy submarines in the local duck pond.

Cheers Dave Walker

[Rob Buckley]

Dave, thanks, and I'd say it was a pleasure, but that's pushing it!

There's still plenty of work to be done to sort out how the registration of operators and the competency of pilots will work, but we're making progress.

One thing that needs to be remembered is where there is a mention of 'competency' and 'testing', in the worst case, that is a test along the lines the theory test to get a driving license or the written exams to get a PPL. It would be a test of a competent knowledge of the rules, not a practical test to prove any form of flying ability.

[Bob Thompson1894]

And of course it will be a multiple choice test so any idiot should pass with a couple of goes....

[Rob Buckley]

Don't worry bob, if it comes to having to do a test run by the CAA it's fairly unlikely we'd get to see how many goes you needed!

[Bob Thompson1894]

OI! I resemble that remark...