Regs changes in the UK - Nov update

[Lastrexking]

Just had a go at the new 40 questions test to see what it's like, and managed 38/40 without referring to any material. All the questions have been updated to align with the new regs. I found it required a bit more thought than the previous version of the test (20Qs) as there is a fair bit more to be covered (drone classifications, flight categories etc). I did find the previous version of the test very basic though. A good read thru the new "easy to read" version of the new rules (see post #65) will give you all the answers.

I re-took the test last week and like you got 38/40. It was a bit of a shock as I was only expecting 20 questions. It didn’t occur to me that the test would already be based on the new regs. Luckily, most of them can be answered based on common sense and experience.

 

[nathankw]

Looks like they're updating the dronesafe.uk website as well, down with a database error.

So the dronesafe website is back and has a link to the "NEW drone code" (their caps).

And it links to the October 2019 code.

FAIL!

 

[Cymru]

Yep just saw that - the html shows it WAS updated today but the actual important part of it still points to a document thats over a year old.
Although technically that is the most current ruleset until the end of the month.

 

[colcol5411]

II got my flyers id and operater id in July 2020 for my mavic mini ......does this mean I will haft to resit the new 40 question test and pay a further £9.....? ....or am I legal under the old 30 question test (old ) until July 2021 then sit the new 40 question test .

 

[Lastrexking]

II got my flyers id and operater id in July 2020 for my mavic mini ......does this mean I will haft to resit the new 40 question test and pay a further £9.....? ....or am I legal under the old 30 question test (old ) until July 2021 then sit the new 40 question test .

Nah, your ok mate. It last for a year, so you’ll do the new one next July. ?

 

[nathankw]

II got my flyers id and operater id in July 2020 for my mavic mini ......does this mean I will haft to resit the new 40 question test and pay a further £9.....? ....or am I legal under the old 30 question test (old ) until July 2021 then sit the new 40 question test .

I did the old test a few weeks ago and my Flyer ID is valid for 3 years.
In any case, the Flyer ID (which is what you get for passing the test) is free so if you did retake with the new test you wouldn't have to pay anything.

The operator ID is what costs £9, is valid for a year, and requires no test.

 

[old man mavic]

II got my flyers id and operater id in July 2020 for my mavic mini ......does this mean I will haft to resit the new 40 question test and pay a further £9.....? ....or am I legal under the old 30 question test (old ) until July 2021 then sit the new 40 question test .

the operator ID last for a year ,the flyer ID lasts for 3 years so you will just have to update your Operator ID next year, once the three years is up those people who took the old test ,will then have to resit the new 40 question test

 

[colcol5411]

Thanks ....... just making sure I'm up to date if I was in the situation of providing to the police / law inforcement then I want to know it was still valid.....??

 

[Cymru]

Im guessing/assuming the fly ID doesnt change every time its renewed as all qualifications from PfCO/GVC/A2CoC all seem to be tied to that specific ID.

 

[scro]

And... if you sit the new 40Qs test your Flyer ID lasts for 5 years...

 

[old man mavic]

i would assume that the flyer ID would remain constant at renewal as the GVC or A2 Cof C are valid for 5 years ,i believe that the operator ID number will change when its up for renewal in 2021 ,as when i renewed mine in November this year, it said that it would most likely change upon next renewal ,

 

[Cymru]

OP- id im not bothered about as no paperwork ive had has needed it. Qualifications all seem tied to the FLY- id so im assuming/hoping that doesnt change.

 

[old man mavic]

it appears that in an effort to bring the Flyer ID ,and A2C of C more into line with each other ,they have added the extra questions and increased the life of the ID to 5 years

 

[maelstrom]

OP- id im not bothered about as no paperwork ive had has needed it. Qualifications all seem tied to the FLY- id so im assuming/hoping that doesnt change.

Every class of drone with a camera (including those below 250g) will need an operator ID under the new rules:

Getting what you need to fly | UK Civil Aviation Authority

How to make sure you have what you need to fly your drone or model aircraft safely and legally in the UK.

register-drones.caa.co.uk

 

[nathankw]

There's a whole load of new info on the CAA website including lots of factsheets.
Very clear and simple

Flying in the open category | UK Civil Aviation Authority

How the regulations apply to you

www.caa.co.uk

The factsheets confirm the new rules come in (and apply) on 31st Dec.
Not at New Year's midnight as some have assumed.

 

[scro]

The ambiguity about exactly when they kick in still stands though. Is it 00:01 or 23:59 on 31st dec? Just reading the factsheets it's implied that they kick in at 00:01, but that's just the simplified fact sheets and not the actual law. Safest to assume its 23:59 on 31st. I'm sure we (Mini owners) can all wait a few hrs more before making use of our new freedoms....

...unless of course the 31st ends up being a lovely sunny, still day...in which case no!??

 

[nathankw]

The ambiguity about exactly when they kick in still stands though. Is it 00:01 or 23:59 on 31st dec? Just reading the factsheets it's implied that they kick in at 00:01, but that's just the simplified fact sheets and not the actual law. Safest to assume its 23:59 on 31st. I'm sure we (Mini owners) can all wait a few hrs more before making use of our new freedoms....

...unless of course the 31st ends up being a lovely sunny, still day...in which case no!??

I really don't think there is ambiguity now.

The laws states the new rules "shall apply from 31 December 2020." which unless specified would always be inclusive ie they apply on 31 December 2020.

And the CAA divide dates into "pre-31 Dec 20" and "31 Dec 20 onwards"
31st December itself is clearly in the latter time period!

See:

https://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP2008_EU_Drone_Rules_Factsheet_V7%206.pdf

As you say, if it's a good flying day I'm going for a spin in my garden unless anyone tells me I can't.

 

[scro]

I really don't think there is ambiguity now.

The laws states the new rules "shall apply from 31 December 2020." which unless specified would always be inclusive ie they apply on 31 December 2020.

And the CAA divide dates into "pre-31 Dec 20" and "31 Dec 20 onwards"
31st December itself is clearly in the latter time period!

See:

https://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP2008_EU_Drone_Rules_Factsheet_V7%206.pdf

As you say, if it's a good flying day I'm going for a spin in my garden unless anyone tells me I can't.

I hear exactly what you're saying and that's how I interpret it too.? It's certainly a strong argument that you've done your due diligence, read the official guidance and made an honest attempt to understand it and adhere to it.

however...

The only mention of actual times is in CAP722 where it clearly states 11:00pm on the 31st (pg89), when referring to the end of the transition period. This could be taken to mean the new UK rules kick in at this time in the absence of any other specific time on the 31st.

 

[nathankw]

I hear exactly what you're saying and that's how I interpret it too.? It's certainly a strong argument that you've done your due diligence, read the official guidance and made an honest attempt to understand it and adhere to it.

however...

The only mention of actual times is in CAP722 where it clearly states 11:00pm on the 31st (pg89), when referring to the end of the transition period. This could be taken to mean the new UK rules kick in at this time in the absence of any other specific time on the 31st.

I think you're right that this is where the confusion comes in.

It's absolutely true that the end of the brexit transition period is 11pm on 31st Dec (since that's midnight european time) and that's when the CAA becomes independent from EASA.

But the adoption of the new rules isn't directly linked to this date - indeed originally they were supposed to come in during the summer, then Nov.

So the idea was always for EU (including the UK) to adopt the rules whilst the UK was a transitional member before the CAA would take over with their mirrored legislation.

Originally that overlap was going to be several months. Now it's going be just 1 day - but I think it's actually deliberate that EASA is coming in whilst we're still under the transition period.

Does that make sense?

 

[zocalo]

We're all registered, with our Flyer & Operator IDs in hand and on our aircraft, right? If it turns out the 31st December is a nice flying day, then as long as you adhere to the strictest requirement of both sets of regulations then you'll be fine, regardless of what time the new rules kicks in. When you get right down to it, there isn't all that much difference, so unless you are flying commercially near people or structures (and in most cases even then) it's pretty much "keep calm, and carry on flying!"

I think NathanKW has nailed it above though - this is probably some legal quirk of the end of the transition period and for some reason it needs to come into force either at the moment, or at sometime before, that happens. As noted, the end of the transition period is officially at 23:00 UTC on December 31st, so it does at least seem plausible that the 31st be under the new regs.