UK CAA proposal to extend the transitional period in the open category

[zocalo]

Hi guys, I only stumbled across this today.
I’m registered with the CAA but I did not get an email about this? Got a survey email in January so I’m on their list. Wonder how many others didn’t get notified about it…

The best way to ensure that you get notifications of things like this supposedly is via the CAA's SkyWise site or app, then tuning it to your particular interests. Note that the website is not currently HTTPS so will probably trigger alerts in your web browser (not a major problem, really, but YMMV) and the Android app is very slow with a clunky UI.

Alternatively, you can just check the relevant sections in the archives on the website.

 

[NigeConnor]

Hi guys, I only stumbled across this today.
I’m registered with the CAA but I did not get an email about this? Got a survey email in January so I’m on their list. Wonder how many others didn’t get notified about it…

Couldn't see that the 'this' is was it a link?

 

[zocalo]

Couldn't see that the 'this' is was it a link?

It was a survey posted by the CAA back in April, but that closed in May after only being open for three weeks.

Rather a short timescale if they were genuinely looking to get a large number of responses, I'd have thought. Almost as if they were trying to slip it under the radar to tick a required box but had already made up their mind as to what they were going to do...

 

[Cymru]

Don't really agree with under the radar - im registered via Skywise and received the email to respond to it (as well as seeing it elsewhere).
Most people who would have had relevant input would likely have been informed.

 

[Jacob2s]

Couldn't see that the 'this' is was it a

Don't really agree with under the radar - im registered via Skywise and received the email to respond to it (as well as seeing it elsewhere).
Most people who would have had relevant input would likely have been informed.

Most people with relevant input? Are registered users not relevant?? I've had previous survery emails & operator ID e-mails. That should be relevant enough I would say

 

[zocalo]

Don't really agree with under the radar - im registered via Skywise and received the email to respond to it (as well as seeing it elsewhere).
Most people who would have had relevant input would likely have been informed.

Sure, as am I, but clearly there are going to be people with potentially relevant input who are not registered with Skywise and the three week window really limits their ability to find out about this and to provide that input in time. Yes, there has to be a time limit on things like this and a lot of pilots, and probably the vendors too, would like some clarity on this ASAP, but that timescale still seems needlessly brief to me given they have until the end of the year to sort things out.

Most of those people are likely to be more casual hobbyists or smaller independent organizations that don't actively frequent forums like this or belong to flying clubs, let alone actively follow CAA announcements, so I suspect the result will be a quite significant skewing of the demographics, which may not be a good thing. Specifically, I suspect that's going to include a *lot* of smaller businesses using drones for something that are going to be directly impacted if/when the legacy class actually becomes a legally distinct thing and they either need new hardware or CofCs, making their voices pretty important, IMHO.

 

[Jacob2s]

The best way to ensure that you get notifications of things like this supposedly is via the CAA's SkyWise site or app, then tuning it to your particular interests. Note that the website is not currently HTTPS so will probably trigger alerts in your web browser (not a major problem, really, but YMMV) and the Android app is very slow with a clunky UI.

Alternatively, you can just check the relevant sections in the archives on the website.

I'd looked at skywise before but thought there was too much info on it for me, might have to have another look
Thanks

 

[Cymru]

Don't use the app - it literally doesnt work at all on Android. You'll get no notifications at all.
Subscribe to the email list.

 

[zocalo]

And the CAA just posted the results of their consultation. It's only a few pages, but some key points from the 4,506 responses (of which 2,411 submitted additional comments):

“Would you be in favour of extending the provisions for Legacy category UAS in the Open Category” - 97.98% said "Yes"

“Over what additional period should the extension for the Legacy category be valid?” - 70.73% said "longer than 2 years"

As a result the CAA will make the following recommendation to the DfT (emphasis mine):

"All provisions should be extended indefinitely and the class marking scheme should be re-evaluated. This will form part of a larger investigation into the current UAS Open Category regulatory framework and what is most suitable for the United Kingdom. This is to ensure any solution suitably addresses the needs of the community as well as addresses safety and security risks in a proportional manner. Notwithstanding a re-evaluation of the class marking scheme an extension should be indefinite at least until the consumer can purchase Class Marked UAS on the open market. At that point, consideration could be given to the re-introduction of a transitional period. This would ensure that the regulated community has a suitable amount of time to naturally phase out older UAS whilst at the same time having the option to purchase Class Marked UAS. This approach would significantly mitigate almost all areas of concern raised in the responses to the consultation."

I think that's a good and practical recommendation, so now we wait and see whether the DfT will heed it and, if they do, whether that will result in any changes to the Drone Code and/or how CofCs are handled.

 

[old man mavic]

@zocalo ,it is a good result from the point of view that we can still fly our heavier than 250g drones as we do now
but the negative for me anyway ,is as you say, the A2 C of C s that we all went out and obtained because the C class drones needed that to be able to fly them ,and i may add that the cost of obtaining the A2 C of C was born by us the consumer ,and lasted 5 years ,mine runs out in 08-11-25 so i have lost half the benefit of having it ,i hope that as a result of the latest recommendations about the transitional period and the delay in implementing the class marked drones that that 5 years gets extended as well to reflect those changes

 

[Cymru]

Extension is useful. Means A2CoC operation on bigger drones is still viable until a time where actual certificated replacements become available.