AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, December 10 – The vision of a world where drones are used for emergency services, local transportation or parcel delivery in our cities, can only become a reality providing safety standards are met and solutions found to issues such as noise and privacy, this year’s European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) High Level Conference on Drones concluded.
Societal concerns was a recurring theme in speeches and panel discussions during the two day conference held in Amsterdam. Manufacturers, politicians, societal experts and regulators alike found a common interest in resolution of these concerns, as they would otherwise present a considerable barrier to the successful introduction of drone services.
EASA is working at an unprecedented pace to issue rules and guidelines on drone activities to meet the demands from industry for the basic rules for drone operations. Requirements for mandatory registration of all drones will already pass into law in mid-2020.
A further recommendation to the EU legislator, known as an “Opinion” is due for publication by EASA late in the first quarter of 2020. This will focus on urban airspace, known as “U-space”, the label used by European Union to refer to unmanned traffic management. It will lay down the principles that will allow multiple types of drone traffic to interact safely within an urban airspace, taking account also of other airborne and ground traffic, and people, in the same location.
Closing the conference, EASA’s Executive Director Ky stressed the importance of all parts of the aviation industry working together to pave the way for a successful usage of drones, adding that once the societal concerns had been addressed, there were many advantages for society from efficient drone usage.
More information: Press Release
