UAS legislation in Europe

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European Drone Regulations is about to get more permissive

Operating UAS (unmanned aerial systems) in the European Union (EU) is going to become very permissive, far outpacing American regulations. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the EU’s authority for aviation safety, which is parallel to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), has released a regulatory framework that calls for new regulations to be proposed by December of this year.

According to Forbes, in their proposed UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) framework, the EASA has specifically focused on innovation, saying that regulations must “not simply [transpose] the system put in place for manned aviation” but rather must create “one that is proportionate, progressive, risk based and…[expresses] objectives that will be complemented by industry standards.”

Officially sanctioned European drone operations far outpace American drone operations. In the EU there are 2,495 operators of drones weighing less than 150kg (330 pounds), the EASA believes that number to be the largest amongst worldwide operations where just 2,342 operators are flying in the rest of the world combined (with 2,000 of those sanctioned operations taking place in Japan).
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The pace of industry growth in the EU, and the potential for small and medium sized business opportunities prompted the agency to write, “UAVs should be integrated into the existing aviation system in a safe and proportionate manner and this integration should foster an innovative and competitive European drone industry, creating jobs and growth.”

European regulators have proposed a risk based approach to regulating drones in the EU. Such regulations will likely spur substantial innovation and economic development. The EASA recognizes that drones are developing at a rapid pace worldwide and in particular in EU countries. To accommodate these technological developments, the EASA proposes three categories of drone operations. They will probably be specified by the end of 2015.

Not only are these regulations innovative, let alone compared with the US, The EASA is also looking to fast track them. Consultation on concrete proposals is slated for June, 2015 and presentation of the final regulatory proposal to the European Commission is slated for December of 2015. UAS innovation is coming, and it looks like we may see it first in Europe.