The EU launches the first European regulation for the flight of drones

The EU launches the first European regulation for the flight of drones

The aim is for flights to be "safe" even when the sky is "busiest" | So far, appliances of less than 150 kg are regulated by national authorities

The Council of the European Union has approved on Tuesday the first legislation that regulates drone flight in the EU in order to "make it more competitive" and introduce measures to ensure the safety of citizens.

"These rules will ensure that flights are safe even when our skies are more and more traveled," said Bulgarian Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski, on behalf of the country that represents the Council this semester, after learning of the agreement reached in Luxembourg. It will enter into force this summer once it is published in the Official Journal of the EU.

So far, drones under 150 kilos are regulated by national authorities, leaving manufacturers and operators at the expense of different design and safety requirements.

The proposal, backed by the European Parliament (EP) on June 12, also seeks to increase cooperation between the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and national authorities when assessing flight risks in conflict zones.

A code for each drone

To facilitate the identification of those responsible in the event of an incident, the drones should carry a code and the name of the operators (excluding those of the smallest devices) must be included in national registers.

It is expected that the European Commission (EC) will develop more detailed rules that specify which devices should be equipped with devices to measure altitude and maximum limits of operating distance, to avoid collisions and automatic landing, among other aspects.

EASA published its first report on drones in February and recommended to the EU authorities to establish prior authorization for aircraft over 25 kilos and to guarantee safety and privacy when determining the permitted flight zones.