Lords Debates 'Drone' Usage In UK Airspace

The House of Lords is launching an inquiry into the feasibility of allowing unmanned drones to swarm the skies of Great Britain.

The investigation is being carried out by the Internal Market, Infrastructure and Employment Sub-Committee of the House of Lords European Union Committee, and seeks to determine a number of things about drone use in the UK, including: "can RPAS be protected against security threats? How will data protection rules apply to RPAS and their usage? Does the current framework for liability and insurance for manned aircraft need to be amended?

The Committee is seeking written evidence from the public, with a deadline for submissions set at 19 September. Public evidence sessions will then be held in October and November 2014.

The future of remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), as the committee calls them, is in question in the UK, as the use of drones flies into a strange legal grey area.

Last month Amazon officially sought permission off US aviation authorities to let it start testing a new generation of fast drones: the ecommerce giant is testing kit that will provide half-hour, same-day delivery, according to a demo video released recently.

The service, dubbed PrimeAir, could go into operation within 4-5 years.

The Committee will consider how the EU's actions can benefit the RPAS industry in Europe "in a way that is acceptable to all stakeholders".

It will also look into "new and innovative ways in which RPAS are likely to be used in the future."

If you have a burgeoning drone business, or just think you have some insight on this topic, contact the committee today and submit your written evidence.

Author: Paul Cooper