UK Multirotor Rules - A Simple Guide
Anyone flying a multirotor, UAV, UAS, RPAS, Drone call them what you like, whether for pleasure or business, has to fly within the current CAA regulations. As at April 2014 this means that if you pilot an UAS you must follow the below. Fly outside the below without a CAA exemption and you could face being prosecuted. (Note anything in italics within [ ] has been added)
The below is specifically for ALL UASs. There are extra rules for UASs over 7kg, includes weight of batteries, but to save confusion I've left them out.
CAP 658 - Chapter 2 - Section 2 - Legal Definition of a Small Unmanned Aircraft
Small Unmanned Aircraft (Article 255) – ‘Any unmanned aircraft, other than a balloon or kite, having a mass of not more than 20 kg without its fuel but including any articles or equipment installed in or attached to the aircraft at the commencement of its flight’.
NOTE: For electrically powered models the batteries must be included as part of the 20 kg limit. The batteries are in effect regarded as the fuel tank and electrons are regarded as the fuel.
CAP 393 - Article 138 A person must not recklessly or negligently cause or permit an aircraft to endanger any person or property.
CAP 393 - Article 166 - Small unmanned aircraft
(1) A person must not cause or permit any article or animal (whether or not attached to a parachute) to be dropped from a small unmanned aircraft so as to endanger persons or property.
(2) The person in charge of a small unmanned aircraft may only fly the aircraft if reasonably satisfied that the flight can safely be made.
(3) The person in charge of a small unmanned aircraft must maintain direct, unaided visual contact with the aircraft sufficient to monitor its flight path in relation to other aircraft, persons, vehicles, vessels and structures for the purpose of avoiding collisions. [Note that this does not mean using FPV goggles]
(5) The person in charge of a small unmanned aircraft must not fly the aircraft for the purposes of aerial work except in accordance with a permission granted by the CAA.
[CAA Document CAP 658 Chapter 14 states: Aerial Work is a flight which is considered to be undertaken for ‘valuable consideration’. 'Valuable consideration' is defined as any gain you may make from the work undertaken.
So if because your UAS is flying, you are better off at the end of the day than when you started, you have probably been doing aerial work.]
CAP 393 - Article 167 - Small unmanned surveillance aircraft
(5) In this article 'a small unmanned surveillance aircraft' means a small unmanned aircraft which is equipped to undertake any form of surveillance or data acquisition. [put simply if you have a camera fitted recording or not it is a small unmanned surveillance aircraft]
(1) The person in charge of a small unmanned surveillance aircraft must not fly the aircraft in any of the circumstances described in paragraph (2) except in accordance with a permission issued by the CAA. [Most CAA Permissions for Aerial Work (PfAW) state the same limits as set out in paragraph (2)]
(2) The circumstances referred to in paragraph (1) are:
over or within 150 metres of any congested area;
CAP 722
9.1 Congested Areas
9.1.1 ANO 2009 Article 255 defines the meaning of ‘Congested Areas’. The definition states that a ‘Congested Area’ means any area in relation to a city, town or settlement which is substantially used for residential, industrial, commercial or recreational purposes. Operations of SUA within congested areas may be permitted in specific locations on the basis of a safety case and suitable operational procedures being submitted as part of an application for aerial work. Separation distances from persons, vessels, vehicles and structures (dependent on whether or not they are under the control of the Remote Pilot) must be specified in the operations manual.
(b) over or within 150 metres of an organised open-air assembly of more than 1,000 persons;
(c) within 50 metres of any vessel, vehicle or structure which is not under the control of the person in charge of the aircraft; or
(d) subject to paragraphs (3) and (4), within 50 metres of any person.
(3) Subject to paragraph (4), during take-off or landing, a small unmanned surveillance aircraft must not be flown within 30 metres of any person.
(4) Paragraphs (2)(d) and (3) do not apply to the person in charge of the small unmanned surveillance aircraft or a person under the control of the person in charge of the aircraft.
Pilots must also observe the Air Navigation Charts and and restricted or controlled areas. NOTAMs (Notice to Airmen) must also be observed. www.skydemonlite.com is a useful website.
For small UAS that have a mass of 7kg or less, ATC permission is not specifically required for flight within an ATZ or controlled airspace, however the greater ‘airmanship’ aspects of operating a UAS of any mass in the vicinity of an airfield must also be considered by the person in charge of the UAS. In particular, the requirements of article 166(2) “…may only fly the aircraft if reasonably satisfied that the flight can be safely made…” and article 138 “A person must not recklessly or negligently cause or permit an aircraft to endanger any person or property” (which obviously includes persons in an aircraft, or the aircraft itself), must be closely considered. Although there may be no need to ‘get permission to fly’ from an ATC unit, if the UAS flight is likely to affect the other aircraft using the airfield (for example, airspace within the ATZ boundary), small UAS operators should make all efforts to liaise with an airfield’s operator beforehand so that everyone can be made properly aware of what activities are taking place and can plan/coordinate/adjust plans accordingly.
Vertical Airspace Limits – Vertical airspace limits are shown on aviation charts as either SFC (surface of the earth), altitude (the number of feet above mean sea level), or as a Flight Level (thousands of feet based on the 1013.2 hPa pressure datum)
Controlled Airspace - The vertical limits of controlled airspace (ie. Class A, C, D or E airspace) is always depicted on aviation charts with the lower limit shown first and the number of feet amsl written in full – Eg. SFC-2000’ means that the controlled airspace exists from the surface of the earth up to 2000 feet amsl.
Danger, Prohibited and Restricted Areas – Vertical limits are depicted as altitudes in whole thousands of feet with hundreds of feet as a decimal. Where only one number is shown, this is the upper limit (ie. the area extends from the surface of the earth upwards) – Eg. 1.3 means an airspace restriction that extends from the surface of the earth up to 1300 feet amsl (note, if the ground is already 1000ft amsl, then the area itself is only 300ft above ground level).Pilots should check the ENR5 Navigation Warnings notice for the details and times of any prohibited, restricted and danger areas. Some areas may be active only when notified. Generally a PA, RA or DA will apply to all classes of UAS and most have a lower limit of SFC. There may also be other temporary or emergency PA, RA or DAs that are notified by NOTAM so therefore may not appear on an air chart. Check the NOTAMs before you fly.
ATZs always extend from the surface up to 2000ft above aerodrome level, so the figures are not shown on charts. To get the upper altitude of an ATZ (ie, amsl) you need to add 2000ft to the elevation of the aerodrome as noted on the chart. ATZs have a radius of either 2nm or 2.5nm
Anyone flying a multirotor, UAV, UAS, RPAS, Drone call them what you like, whether for pleasure or business, has to fly within the current CAA regulations. As at April 2014 this means that if you pilot an UAS you must follow the below. Fly outside the below without a CAA exemption and you could face being prosecuted. (Note anything in italics within [ ] has been added)
The below is specifically for ALL UASs. There are extra rules for UASs over 7kg, includes weight of batteries, but to save confusion I've left them out.
CAP 658 - Chapter 2 - Section 2 - Legal Definition of a Small Unmanned Aircraft
Small Unmanned Aircraft (Article 255) – ‘Any unmanned aircraft, other than a balloon or kite, having a mass of not more than 20 kg without its fuel but including any articles or equipment installed in or attached to the aircraft at the commencement of its flight’.
NOTE: For electrically powered models the batteries must be included as part of the 20 kg limit. The batteries are in effect regarded as the fuel tank and electrons are regarded as the fuel.
CAP 393 - Article 138 A person must not recklessly or negligently cause or permit an aircraft to endanger any person or property.
CAP 393 - Article 166 - Small unmanned aircraft
(1) A person must not cause or permit any article or animal (whether or not attached to a parachute) to be dropped from a small unmanned aircraft so as to endanger persons or property.
(2) The person in charge of a small unmanned aircraft may only fly the aircraft if reasonably satisfied that the flight can safely be made.
(3) The person in charge of a small unmanned aircraft must maintain direct, unaided visual contact with the aircraft sufficient to monitor its flight path in relation to other aircraft, persons, vehicles, vessels and structures for the purpose of avoiding collisions. [Note that this does not mean using FPV goggles]
(5) The person in charge of a small unmanned aircraft must not fly the aircraft for the purposes of aerial work except in accordance with a permission granted by the CAA.
[CAA Document CAP 658 Chapter 14 states: Aerial Work is a flight which is considered to be undertaken for ‘valuable consideration’. 'Valuable consideration' is defined as any gain you may make from the work undertaken.
So if because your UAS is flying, you are better off at the end of the day than when you started, you have probably been doing aerial work.]
CAP 393 - Article 167 - Small unmanned surveillance aircraft
(5) In this article 'a small unmanned surveillance aircraft' means a small unmanned aircraft which is equipped to undertake any form of surveillance or data acquisition. [put simply if you have a camera fitted recording or not it is a small unmanned surveillance aircraft]
(1) The person in charge of a small unmanned surveillance aircraft must not fly the aircraft in any of the circumstances described in paragraph (2) except in accordance with a permission issued by the CAA. [Most CAA Permissions for Aerial Work (PfAW) state the same limits as set out in paragraph (2)]
(2) The circumstances referred to in paragraph (1) are:
over or within 150 metres of any congested area;
CAP 722
9.1 Congested Areas
9.1.1 ANO 2009 Article 255 defines the meaning of ‘Congested Areas’. The definition states that a ‘Congested Area’ means any area in relation to a city, town or settlement which is substantially used for residential, industrial, commercial or recreational purposes. Operations of SUA within congested areas may be permitted in specific locations on the basis of a safety case and suitable operational procedures being submitted as part of an application for aerial work. Separation distances from persons, vessels, vehicles and structures (dependent on whether or not they are under the control of the Remote Pilot) must be specified in the operations manual.
(b) over or within 150 metres of an organised open-air assembly of more than 1,000 persons;
(c) within 50 metres of any vessel, vehicle or structure which is not under the control of the person in charge of the aircraft; or
(d) subject to paragraphs (3) and (4), within 50 metres of any person.
(3) Subject to paragraph (4), during take-off or landing, a small unmanned surveillance aircraft must not be flown within 30 metres of any person.
(4) Paragraphs (2)(d) and (3) do not apply to the person in charge of the small unmanned surveillance aircraft or a person under the control of the person in charge of the aircraft.
Pilots must also observe the Air Navigation Charts and and restricted or controlled areas. NOTAMs (Notice to Airmen) must also be observed. www.skydemonlite.com is a useful website.
For small UAS that have a mass of 7kg or less, ATC permission is not specifically required for flight within an ATZ or controlled airspace, however the greater ‘airmanship’ aspects of operating a UAS of any mass in the vicinity of an airfield must also be considered by the person in charge of the UAS. In particular, the requirements of article 166(2) “…may only fly the aircraft if reasonably satisfied that the flight can be safely made…” and article 138 “A person must not recklessly or negligently cause or permit an aircraft to endanger any person or property” (which obviously includes persons in an aircraft, or the aircraft itself), must be closely considered. Although there may be no need to ‘get permission to fly’ from an ATC unit, if the UAS flight is likely to affect the other aircraft using the airfield (for example, airspace within the ATZ boundary), small UAS operators should make all efforts to liaise with an airfield’s operator beforehand so that everyone can be made properly aware of what activities are taking place and can plan/coordinate/adjust plans accordingly.
Vertical Airspace Limits – Vertical airspace limits are shown on aviation charts as either SFC (surface of the earth), altitude (the number of feet above mean sea level), or as a Flight Level (thousands of feet based on the 1013.2 hPa pressure datum)
Controlled Airspace - The vertical limits of controlled airspace (ie. Class A, C, D or E airspace) is always depicted on aviation charts with the lower limit shown first and the number of feet amsl written in full – Eg. SFC-2000’ means that the controlled airspace exists from the surface of the earth up to 2000 feet amsl.
Danger, Prohibited and Restricted Areas – Vertical limits are depicted as altitudes in whole thousands of feet with hundreds of feet as a decimal. Where only one number is shown, this is the upper limit (ie. the area extends from the surface of the earth upwards) – Eg. 1.3 means an airspace restriction that extends from the surface of the earth up to 1300 feet amsl (note, if the ground is already 1000ft amsl, then the area itself is only 300ft above ground level).Pilots should check the ENR5 Navigation Warnings notice for the details and times of any prohibited, restricted and danger areas. Some areas may be active only when notified. Generally a PA, RA or DA will apply to all classes of UAS and most have a lower limit of SFC. There may also be other temporary or emergency PA, RA or DAs that are notified by NOTAM so therefore may not appear on an air chart. Check the NOTAMs before you fly.
ATZs always extend from the surface up to 2000ft above aerodrome level, so the figures are not shown on charts. To get the upper altitude of an ATZ (ie, amsl) you need to add 2000ft to the elevation of the aerodrome as noted on the chart. ATZs have a radius of either 2nm or 2.5nm
