The use of unmanned aircraft requires appropriate airspace regulation and management. To address these challenges, the European Union has implemented a regulatory framework to facilitate airspace management: U-space. What is U-Space? U-space services are responsible for regulation and management
Discover the new MANEX drone operations manual. To begin UAS operations in the specific category in French and/or European low-altitude airspace, the operator must obtain an operational authorization, linked to their activity declaration, from their country's competent authority. The MANEX (formerly the MAP) is a document prepared by an
When an operator wishes to conduct an operation that does not comply with standard scenarios (national or European), they must request an operational authorization (granted for a maximum duration of 1 year) from their national authority by submitting a risk assessment study conducted using the SORA, PDRA, or LUC methodology, as applicable. In this article,
Declaration of authorization to conduct flights abroad: what about European drone legislation (cross-border procedure)? Are you a remote pilot wishing to conduct drone flights in another European country? Here is what European drone legislation states. It allows a drone pilot to fly in a country other than
Non-standard and European drone scenarios: good to know. Starting December 2, 2021 (the date may be postponed by 2 years), any new drone operator will have to use European scenarios within their ConOps. Existing drone operators will be able to continue conducting their missions under
Which drone scenario to use from December 2, 2021? National drone scenario or European drone scenario? This is a question many of you are asking. Here is the answer: starting December 2, 2021, under European drone regulations, all new drone operators will have to fly using
Professional drones, market trends, and current situation: According to the latest activity reports (the most recent being 2019) published by the Civil Aviation Safety Directorate (DSAC), the number of registered professional drones (i.e., over 800 grams) is growing steadily: 9,582, 13,647, and 15
Drone pilot training organizations: Drone remote pilot training, what is the market? According to the DSAC activity report, 12,272 remote pilots were certified as of December 31, 2019 (3,113 more than in 2018). The annual training market for these French professional drone remote pilots is estimated at approximately
Drone remote pilot training: what changes in 2021. In 2021, drone regulations changed. Drone registration rules for all European remote pilots, altitudes, and flight scenarios have evolved since January 1, 2021. For these reasons, drone remote pilot training has also been evolving since that date. Reminder of the
New European drone regulations: what changes from January 1, 2021. In the previous article, we discussed the regulatory change taking effect in early 2021 regarding the registration of European drones with the DGAC on the AlphaTango website. In today's article, we cover in greater detail the operational impacts of the
Drone regulations in Europe: what changes on December 31, 2020, for drone legislation. Drone regulations are changing in 2021 across Europe (and therefore in France). The Civil Aviation Safety Directorate (DSAC) bulletin provides information on European drone regulatory changes regarding drone registration for
Drone mapping: rules and restrictions for flying your drone. Mapping data comes into play before (flight planning), during (geolocating, co-activity, integration into air traffic, etc.), and after the civil drone flight (logbook, data processing, GDPR, etc.). Although geolocation (or geofencing) is a major issue
How to choose your professional drone? What is the best professional drone for linear infrastructure inspection? Currently, there are around twenty civil drone manufacturers worldwide marketing roughly a hundred production drone models. All these platforms have different technical characteristics to
Drone training: how to become a drone pilot? To become a professional drone pilot (and comply with applicable aviation regulations), you must obtain state diplomas issued by the DGAC (French Civil Aviation Authority), and complete practical training courses provided by a
Drone scenarios: regulations change at the end of 2020. Following the publication of EU Regulation 2018/1139, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) became responsible for drone regulation. Since then, two EU aviation regulations were published (June 2019): 2019/947 and 2019/945. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the application of the regulation
Professional drone type certification: regulations and technical constraints. Any professional drone (since December 26, 2018, any drone weighing over 800 grams is considered a professional drone) must be certified and/or registered before being authorized to fly. To obtain this certification from the civil aviation authority
Any professional drone (i.e., over 800 grams) must be certified to be authorized to fly. BOTH the manufacturer AND the operator must therefore comply with specific technical and regulatory requirements before the DGAC considers the aircraft airworthy. The rules governing aircraft certification: Certification operates on two levels: First, the manufacturer
A drone remains a non-autonomous device operated by a human being. In the interest of safety and the protection of people and property, remote pilots must demonstrate full control of their aircraft and the theoretical knowledge required for its operation. What do drone regulations say for remote pilots? In the context of
Experiencing exponential growth for many years, the use of civil professional drones is heavily regulated to prevent accidents and ensure the safety of people nearby. To achieve this, numerous drone laws and regulations have been introduced. In the event of an incident, responsibilities are clearly allocated between the drone manufacturer
Every day, hundreds of drones fly simultaneously and must share the national airspace with commercial and military aircraft. One of the DGAC's roles is to coordinate all these users. To accomplish this, the DSAC established four core regulatory principles: Operational drone scenarios
In 2020, as in previous years, the number of registered drones worldwide across all sectors continues an exponential growth curve. The leading manufacturers remain Chinese companies for civil drones (recreational and professional) and American companies for military drones. Together, these two countries account for more than 80%
What you need to know to choose a drone. Even though more than 70% of drones are used for aerial imaging, client specifications are becoming increasingly specialized. For example, while aerial surveillance requires covering long linear distances with a high level of
Storage of drone aerial imaging: the key challenges. Drones are predominantly used for aerial imaging. These drone missions generate large media files that drone operators struggle to collect, process, and archive securely. But how large
How to specify a drone aerial imaging service? Drones are mostly used for aerial imaging. However, this image capture covers widely differing applications: real estate, structural inspection, filmmaking, etc., requiring different specifications from one service to another, and consequently
French professional drones: who owns them and what are they used for? Number of professional drone operators in France. 8,837 is the number of professional drone operators (equipment over 800 grams) in France in 2019 (figure from the January 2020 issue of Aviation Civile magazine by the DGAC). This represents an official growth of around
Securing airspace against the use of civil drones. Since 2016, the rise of drones has been identified as a real threat to the safety of airliners and the public. Indeed, this new type of low-altitude airspace traffic causes unprecedented disruptions: (i) Prohibited imaging, (ii)
The role of drones in logistics. The future of drones in the logistics sector. Logistics, constantly seeking reinventing itself, aims to fulfill an old science-fiction ambition: delivering parcels through the air from point A to point B safely, with minimal human intervention if possible.
Drone airspace and regulations: what you need to know. Drone airspace starts from the very first meter above the ground. It is divided into two distinct main areas. Above 150 meters (500 feet) above ground level, it is reserved for airplanes and other manned aircraft. Below 150 meters,
