New Drone laws being introduced.

It comes after thousands of flights were disrupted due to drone activity at London's Gatwick Airport before Christmas.

This is the Best Kind of Correct, but misleading.

This has been coming for a while.

I'm trying to wrap my head around it at the moment, but for small (<900g) drones it seems significantly more liberal than SI563/2015 in terms of where you can fly (in cases where the SI applies anyway). There seem to be some potential gotchas for existing drones, e.g. max energy and electronic IDs. Registration will be needed (for the operator, but not the drone I think), but currently that's super simple anyway.

Top Dog wrote: »

Registered my drone on December 6th, still waiting for it to come through in the post. :rolleyes:

What's involved in the process do you mind me asking?

Top Dog wrote: »

Its a slight bit of a faff, but nothing too complicated. Its a 2 step process. First you register for an account with ASSET, the IAA's online terrain mapping system. Once you verify the account you can register your drone. Pretty straightforward and normal questions - name, address, serial number off the drone, small fee and .... wait.


All the links are available here -> https://www.iaa.ie/general-aviation/drones/drone-registration

Many thanks. I'll have to follow suit.

Is it illegal to fly a drone on a deserted beach ?

robinwing wrote: »

Is it illegal to fly a drone on a deserted beach ?

No

a year or more ago I tried to renew the registration for my Phantom 4 Pro but their system wouldn't allow it for some reason, so I eventually gave up altogether.

I haven't tried since because I'm selling it now.

Top Dog wrote: »

Where are you getting this information from?

Its not mentioned at all in the IAA FAQ in relation to drones - so if the beach is deserted and over 5km from an aerodrome, then there's nothing stopping you from going up 120m?

https://www.iaa.ie/docs/default-source/misc/drones-questions-and-answers.pdf?sfvrsn=2

Point 9: In civil or military controlled airspace (specifically Class C airspace)

All the light yellow here is Class C



Only holders of a SOP and PCC can operate drones above 15m in these areas.

Map is from https://www.flyryte.com/airspace so is for reference only, but Dublin atleast is pretty accurate to the current Irish Aviation Aeronautical Chart.

Criminal use of Drones is an issue now.

But otherwise as long as drones are for photos and enjoyment, and don't injure the privacy of homes/gardens off you go.

Homer wrote: »

The IAA website is woefully out of date and gives VERY basic rules for drone operation.

Recently completed my SOP/PCC renewal course and I brought this very point up with my instructor. Referring specifically to this:




The closer than 5km from aerodrome is all anyone see's and thinks grand - I can fly around Howth or Cobh or similar, except that point is overruled in most situations by the controlled airspace point.

He agreed with me its too vague and misleading, he's even mentioned it to them but also says the IAA are too slow to change anything most the time.

Fionn wrote: »

a year or more ago I tried to renew the registration for my Phantom 4 Pro but their system wouldn't allow it for some reason, so I eventually gave up altogether.

I haven't tried since because I'm selling it now.

I have just tried to register with the ASSET system on the IAA website. The process will not accept my email address - says that the entered address and the verification address do not match.... but they do.

I then found a pdf document on the site that also explains the drone registration process that includes a url link to the registration process.... but it is a dead link.

I have sent an email off to them to see what they say.... but it doesn't inspire confidence in the system, if it is this difficult at the first hurdle.

ScrubsfanChris wrote: »

He agreed with me its too vague and misleading, he's even mentioned it to them but also says the IAA are too slow to change anything most the time.

That ties in nicely with their lack of urgency when it comes to registering drones. Still waiting on my registration sticker, since December 6th. Emailed last week and got the following vague-as-you-like reply;

Hi Robert,

You will receive it before February 2020. If you have registered in December then your decal will be sent to you sometime in January.

Your registration number can also be found on your asset account.

Kind Regards,
Drone Department

:rolleyes:

stuff.hunter wrote: »

guys, with any issues in regards of registering your bird, email drones@iaa.ie , they should be able to help you out

I have sent an email... but surely the online system that they direct you to on their website, should just work without any issue? I have tried two ways of accessing the system through their site and both methods have failed.. for different reasons.

They aren't helping me out.. if their online registration system doesn't work, they have a bigger problem than I do.

Lucious Sweet wrote: »

Do you mind if I ask where you did your course mate? Thinking of doing one myself.

PM sent

drunkmonkey wrote: »

What's the cost of getting your commercial license, I see on one of the irish sites it's €849 for IAA Ground-School & Flight Test Package, do you need to renew that every year as it's another €299.
How much roughly is insurance once you have the licence got?

€850 - Ground School Course and Examination + IAA flight Assessment
€148 - IAA fee for PCC certification
€148 - IAA fee for SOP certification
€360 - Third party liability + hull(drone) insurance

Total: €1506

Insurance every 12 months

IAA fees are every 24 months
The refresher course plus flight test is also every 24 months (much cheaper than initial tests)

You need to have third party liability insurance in place before you can complete a flight exam and submit the IAA documents.

Now this is based on my personnel experience so the final numbers (especially the insurance quote) might differ slightly.

Hope that helps.