400ft Rule

[BigT]

3 hours ago, satinet said:

The 1000ft rule is actually only for FPV flight and therefore not for the vast majority of slopers. Per the above - as a bmfa member you can just carry on flying as before. At least until any new CAPs come in to force (possibly june 2020....?).  

 

Wrong.  The 1000ft exemption is for all UAV, except multicopters,  under 7kg  without any form of autonomous flight  such as RTH or Mission Programming,  and must be able to be seen with the naked eye plus prescription lenses if needed.  In the case of FPV there must be a competent spotter who must be able to see the UAV at all times unaided. There is also an exemption added to the above to allow flights over valleys and cliffs.  Of course the normal rules regarding controlled airspace and  FRZ etc still apply.

July 2020 sees the introduction of the EASA regulations some, if not all, may be adopted and Gold Plated by the UK DfT. However Article 15 and 16 do allow for some independence.  Link below to simplified version only 32 pages.

https://rcc.bmfa.uk/exemptions

https://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP1789 EU UAS Regulations-Guidance.pdf

 

 

[satinet]

On your BMFA link the first exemption in the list doesn't say anything about 1000ft - this applies to non fpv models (e.g gliders)

The second document that relates to the 1000ft is for FPV flight not "normal" flight.

so yes you can fly a glider under 7kg over 1000ft within the normal constraints of safe flight.  Which you could before all this EASA bull dust kicked off. 

 

[BigT]

1 hour ago, satinet said:

On your BMFA link the first exemption in the list doesn't say anything about 1000ft - this applies to non fpv models (e.g gliders)

The second document that relates to the 1000ft is for FPV flight not "normal" flight.

so yes you can fly a glider under 7kg over 1000ft within the normal constraints of safe flight.  Which you could before all this EASA bull dust kicked off. 

 

1st Not to sure what point you are making? Except that prior to the ANO 2016 amendment UAS in general where  thrown under the bus and a blanket 400 foot restriction was imposed for a short time.  It was mainly due to the BMFA that it got amended.

2cnd  DMARES was instigated by an lawful order to the CAA by the DfT not by the EASA. The EASA regulations in place at that time stated that member states with  adequate laws governing UAS did not need to do anything. This was due to only 5 members states having any for,or regulation at all.  The EASA  directive that becomes effective in July 2020 with augmentation in 2022 and 2025 are nothing to do with DMARES but an addition.  The important part for us is that article 16 may prevent the worst of the restrictions, but given this countries willingness to Gold Plate EU legislation, what the chances?

 

[satinet]

My point is you can fly gliders over 1000ft. As this is a forum for glider flyers, I had assumed that was the main point of interest for most readers.  Sorry I mean unpowered UAS without on board cameras, RTH, mission programming, which aren't capable of autonomous flight flown in accordance with ANO2016, not in an FRZ, visible with the naked eye, not gliders.....

Perhaps we are all talking about the same thing here............... Per my post earlier in the thread the 1000ft rule applies to some and 400ft to others by the looks of it.  That was my understanding, which seems to be confirmed by your link to the BMFA site.  Although it would not surprise me if the CAA hold different documents or if they are superseded.  

[Brett82]

24 minutes ago, BigT said:

1st Not to sure what point you are making? Except that prior to the ANO 2016 amendment UAS in general where  thrown under the bus and a blanket 400 foot restriction was imposed for a short time.  It was mainly due to the BMFA that it got amended.

2cnd  DMARES was instigated by an lawful order to the CAA by the DfT not by the EASA. The EASA regulations in place at that time stated that member states with  adequate laws governing UAS did not need to do anything. This was due to only 5 members states having any for,or regulation at all.  The EASA  directive that becomes effective in July 2020 with augmentation in 2022 and 2025 are nothing to do with DMARES but an addition.  The important part for us is that article 16 may prevent the worst of the restrictions, but given this countries willingness to Gold Plate EU legislation, what the chances?

 

The point is the 1000 ft limit does not apply to non FPV gliders/e-gliders. RC air planes not being flown with FPV can be flown above 1000 ft as long as they are within line of sight. On the link to the Exemptions for model aircraft, the first heading is for normal operated air planes and there is no 1000 ft limit applied. 

The second heading, which states first person view, has the 1000 ft limit applied. 

Of course there are restrictions in place as per paragraph 3 but assuming you comply to those then you can operate over 1000 ft. 

[Brett82]

Ha, I didnt see your reply before I posted mine.

[BigT]

At my age seeing a 1.5 meter glider at 1000 ft with the naked eye is pie in the sky! LOL

 

[taggarc]

6 hours ago, satinet said:

I was going on the bmfa website which said 1000ft for non rotor types.

nonetheless it's not applicable to slopers in main.

Why ?

[satinet]

13 minutes ago, taggarc said:

Why ?

Because the rules are that non fpv models can fly over 1000ft if you're in the bmfa. If under 7kg. I.e most slope models.