UK to bring in Drone Registration and Mandatory courses

[Tricky98]

Just read this article:
UK to bring in drone registration - BBC News
The UK is to require any drone over 250 grams to be registered and for the owners to attend a safety awareness course.
The is also talk of increased use of geofencing.

 

[Andrew Wright]

I really welcome this. As a pilot that abides my the current CCA rules, I am totally fed up of the small minority of people who choose to break the law and potentially ruin it for everybody else.

 

[Telmat]

I really welcome this. As a pilot that abides my the current CCA rules, I am totally fed up of the small minority of people who choose to break the law and potentially ruin it for everybody else.

As with everything the senseless minority spoil it for the caring majority.

 

[De3mx]

I really welcome this. As a pilot that abides my the current CCA rules, I am totally fed up of the small minority of people who choose to break the law and potentially ruin it for everybody else.

So do I, so long as this is not hijacked by The **** Turpin arm of the establishment just as a means with which to fleece the non-commercial drone users of the UK with exorbitant training and safety course prices.

 

[De3mx]

Richard Turpin [emoji23]

 

[M4RK]

Surely this plan suffers from the issue that, like this forum, only those who are already generally following the CAA rules will be registered.

Those determined to flaunt guidelines will always stay outside of any regulation and continue to pose a risk.

 

[HSK]

^ Exactly - this is mainly a data collection, database filling, and awareness drive (possibly a chance to monitise the situation at the public's expense).

People who want to do whatever still will.

 

[chopcat]

However the penalties for being caught not registered will be severe as they will follow the general aviation precedent. That precedent makes illegal flight a criminal and not civil matter. So there will be the peole that choose to avoid registration but the risk of penalty will minimise the number.
Also there is reference to extending the role of geofencing which I suspect will mean that if you have a drone that is registered with DJI you will be on the radar, so to speak.
If we are concerned with safety and want to be able to fly our drones in the future we should welcome this move and encourage all to register and fly buy the rules.

 

[M4RK]

I guess that depends on the severity of the penalty.

I of course 100% welcome the introduction of anything that helps educate and regulate those that are not aware of the potential for a major incident.

My point was that it is almost impossible to get eveybody on board.

Just look at the recent publicity on how many motorists have avoided the DART charge and are being unsuccessfully pursued for payment, despite the fact the authorities obviously have their registration number.

 

[Enigma]

Reading further into the matter on USA FAA regulations, it was interesting that Mr John Taylor successfully challenged the ruling as unconstitutional.
I wonder if something similar may occur in the UK.

 

[De3mx]

And if the current commercial training model is applied across the board to non commercial users also (three days duration and averaging £900) then a lot of money is going to need to be spent on policing the ensuing vast numbers of drone users that will not register.
I can’t see how, in the current climate of austerity and lack of police that this will be entirely enforceable that is unless the likes of dji ‘spill the beans’ on its flyers. Wouldn’t that be commercial suicide for drone sales in this country? Maybe they wouldn’t be losing that much. I have no idea how many non commercial uk drone users there are.

 

[HSK]

And if the current commercial training model is applied across the board to non commercial users also (three days duration and averaging £900) then a lot of money is going to need to be spent on policing the ensuing vast numbers of drone users that will not register.
I can’t see how, in the current climate of austerity and lack of police that this will be entirely enforceable that is unless the likes of dji ‘spill the beans’ on its flyers. Wouldn’t that be commercial suicide for drone sales in this country? Maybe they wouldn’t be losing that much. I have no idea how many non commercial uk drone users there are.

No it won't be to that level - I think the key thing I'm taking away from the news reports are, that people have a lack of knowledge - rule breakers often end up being people who didn't know they were breaking rules and had lack of knowledge. So I potentially see it being forced to go through an online awareness of the drone aware material that you often get with drones and linked too online sites.

If they charge for that registration / learning process its a pisstake.

 

[leswilluk]

If it is done in collaboration with the BMFA and flying clubs should not be to much of an issue it could be easy to take the test at your local flying club, could be lots of applications for club memberships comping up

 

[HSK]

If it is done in collaboration with the BMFA and flying clubs should not be to much of an issue it could be easy to take the test at your local flying club, could be lots of applications for club memberships comping up

It wouldn't be a physical test - just online awareness test.

 

[M4RK]

It wouldn't be a physical test - just online awareness test.

That's what I've been gathering from the news this morning...an Online awareness test plus the issue of a registration code of some sort.

 

[gnirtS]

Can't see a problem with this provided its done sensibly. Far too many idiots with drones so this was bound to happen.
It'll likely be a click the box online test. As far as education goes not a big issue but what it will mean is violations can now be a criminal offence with much stiffer penalties.
As long as they dont see it as a money making scheme i don't see a downside.

 

[4wd]

Surely this plan suffers from the issue that, like this forum, only those who are already generally following the CAA rules will be registered.

Those determined to flaunt guidelines will always stay outside of any regulation and continue to pose a risk.

You aren't less of a risk just because you don't (pay presumably) to get a bit of paper and recite drone code if that's what they are planning.

 

[4wd]

As long as they dont see it as a money making scheme i don't see a downside.

I'd be surprised if it's less than £25 because admin costs.
Probably annual too.

 

[HSK]

Can't see a problem with this provided its done sensibly. Far too many idiots with drones so this was bound to happen.
It'll likely be a click the box online test. As far as education goes not a big issue but what it will mean is violations can now be a criminal offence with much stiffer penalties.
As long as they dont see it as a money making scheme i don't see a downside.

What I think we'll also get is, more and more people reporting drones (even if they're been flown within guidelines) more animosity towards drone in general, kind of like the stories I read about here, based in the US.

Maybe.

 

[gnirtS]

That'll happen but if someone is registered and they can show a flight log to prove they're acting responsibility it'll help reduce this.

It already happens now, partly due to people that just "hate" drones and partly due to idiots who ARE flying in an irresponsible manner.