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Commons Science and Technology Committee Enquiry on Drones


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Posted by Cliff Bastow on 12/06/2019 17:57:23:

So it is ok for clubs or the BMFA to register as the operator allowing all there members to just do the remote pilot bit, which does not cost anything?

Yes. The CAA rep said so and I don't think you're supposed to lie at these events! He did however add the caveat that they would take on the legal responsibilities for the aircraft under their registration and without knowing what those responsibilities will be yet I can't imagine anybody taking that on unless they have a lot of money for very good and expensive lawyers!

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As I understand it, the session on Tuesday was the first of a number of sittings for the committee. Hopefully the BMFA will be able to make our case at a future session, hence the statement released yesterday.

In passing I noted that the CAA representative, on being questioned about the registration fee, stated that operators will be responsible for the payment. He went on to indicate that clubs could possibly register as operators under the scheme. If so, each club regardless of size will only pay £16.50.

I cannot see that idea getting very far when the CAA realise just how much revenue they will be losing by not getting us all to register as individuals.

Also there will be legal requirements (and presumably sanctions) on operators under the proposed scheme. Whilst this is fine for commercial operators who can control their users, the average club will have little control over what its members do, for instance when flying alone on club premises.

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I would recommend setting a couple of hours aside to watch the full video. Shows DJI in a completely different light and although arguably the main contributor to the initial problem could be a useful ally in the fight for common sense!

The second half is not just about Amazon filling the skies with delivery drones or how China is spying on nuclear power plants either. Some good comments from both sides to take on board.

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Posted by Steve J on 12/06/2019 18:13:10:
Posted by Chris Barlow on 12/06/2019 17:54:13:

The CAA guy even said that clubs or the BMFA could act as operator for all their members for £16.50

I am surprised that the BMFA haven't come out with a statement on this (or maybe they have and I haven't see it). To me it is a non-starter. I wouldn't take responsibility for what a club mate does with his toys and I wouldn't expect anybody else to take responsibility for what I do with mine.

Steve

Edited By Steve J on 12/06/2019 18:14:11

I wonder if the BMFA and others could make it a condition of membership, or contract for members to fly under their registration as operator, that pilots must conform to the legal requirements the BMFA or association has signed up to and if not the pilot must apply for their own operator registration. Simple? Legally defendable?

The real problem is that as of yet we don't know what those responsibilities are or the penalties involved. As was stated by the good Baroness, they're only interested in UK law and the up coming Drone Bill to be released in August I think?

Incidentally the registration scheme is to be started in October to enable all operators and pilots to be registered by November. So that doesn't leave much time from the release of the Drone Bill in August to put and plan into effect!

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Posted by Steve J on 12/06/2019 18:38:56:

Posted by Chris Barlow on 12/06/2019 18:26:28:

Incidentally the registration scheme is to be started in October to enable all operators and pilots to be registered by November. So that doesn't leave much time from the release of the Drone Bill in August to put and plan into effect!

The registration and testing scheme is coming in later this year because of AN(A)O 2018 from last May. See CAP 1763 for details of AN(A)O 2018 and AN(A)O 2019.

Steve

Just repeating what the CAA rep said in the video.

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o joy a glimmer of common sense ??? perhaps authority would save a lot of our tax money if they "thought twice and did once" which seems to be beyond them.

Do not forget that we as club members support a lot of small high street model shops as well as the large ones, plus the farming community with rents we pay to said farmers that allow us to take off and land on their property.

Regarding the issue of registration this gives the CAA access not only to our address but if as i believe through Direct Debit our bank account so beware . Trust has to earned and do we trust this lot who can not recognise a Drone from a Model Aircraft.

Regards Mike

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"Shows DJI in a completely different light and although arguably the main contributor to the initial problem could be a useful ally in the fight for common sense!"

Clear commercial interest - DJI want to continue selling drones.

"The second half is not just about Amazon filling the skies with delivery drones or how China is spying on nuclear power plants either. Some good comments from both sides to take on board"

Bit of a tangent, but, China are building Hinckley, aren't they? The AGR, designed in the 60s, is probably not even worth stealing these days as current projects are all PWRs (I think), and the Magnox predecessor has already been built from publicly accessible documents by North Korea... It was more the whole defence angle of drone (mis)use being discussed that I found interesting.

But yes some good comments all around.

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Posted by john stones 1 on 13/06/2019 15:19:06:

Can the world keep turning, without some unelected people in there doing things ?

Be a very complicated expensive system without them.

I seem to recall that Belgium was one of the European countries least affect by the financial crisis of ten or so years ago - mainly because it didn't have a functioning government at the time! (The Flemish and French speaking parts were having one of their regular spats!)

Similarly, Northern Ireland seems to continue reasonably happily, despite not having having a functioning assembly - and for much the same reason as Belgium!

However, its one thing to have un-elected people keeping the wheels turning. I'm not so sure I'm so happy with un-elected people making policy. However, I suspect that even the Baroness herself is simply carrying out orders from our inept Minister of Transport.

At £2.5M, he could have financed the registration from the petty cash involved in the ferries fiasco!

--

Pete

 

Edited By Peter Christy on 13/06/2019 16:44:51

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I learn Dr Anna Jackman was appointed Specialist Adviser to the Science and Technology Committee Inquiry.

Dr Anna Jackman.jpg

She’s a lecturer in political geography (no I haven't either), with an interest in drones. At least it wasn’t Jo Brand. What about the rest of ‘em.

The Aviation Minister is Baroness Vere - hard-core remainer and former Executive Director of 'Conservatives In’. She failed to become a Tory MP (came third) in 2010 general election and was duly rewarded by elevation to the House of Lords in 2016 as Baroness Vere of Norbiton.

The CAA (bloated expansionist quango) Chair is Dame Deirdre Hutton (formerly of the Food Standards Agency – well, burger wagons at air shows can pose risks to aircraft when flown above 400’] - labelled in the media as the “££££Queen of Quangos££££”.

Richard Moriarty as CAA CEO, is a dedicated career quango-ist - Legal Services Board, water, energy, aviation, postal communications, and social housing.

Doesn’t get much better. The rest of the CAA top-dogs (and cats) listed have backgrounds in Australian energy, rail freight and consumer goods industries, railways infrastructure law, accountancy, quality assurance in higher education, the RAF police and, wait for it, drum roll… the Battersea Dogs & Cats Home Corporate Engagement Board. You couldn’t make it up.

I assume this well-nourished CAA governing elite have travelled in airplanes and therefore know, more or less, what they look like – well, from the inside at least.

To cap it all, there is everyones success story - Minister for Transport Chris Grayling. He has a BA degree in history. A BBC-ite for almost 10 years until 1993, when he joined Charterhouse Productions as MD before leaving several months later when it was wound up for failing to pay VAT.

So that’s what the BMFA are up against. Prepare to be shown who’s boss.

jack boot.jpg

Edited By davidqc on 14/06/2019 09:22:56

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