Feedback on Competency

[Hester]

The Competency theme covers competency requirements to enable more complex and scalable UAS operations, which includes pilot, maintenance and associated crew competency. 

Please provide your feedback and thoughts on: 

Standards

• Are there significant standards being used that we have missed? 
• Are you aware of standards in development that we need to include? 

Recommendations

• Do you agree with the recommendations? 
• Are we missing recommendations? 

P.S. You may also download the full UAS Pathway Standards Roadmap and to provide feedback on the full roadmap, visit the full roadmap thread.

[Gill Fisher]

Hi,

I am primarily interested in elements that cover interactions with wildlife (especially birds) and protected sites is it possible for the themes and documents that related to that to be searched for or highlighted in some what so I don't need to read everything?

[Dimitri Panagio]

Hi Gill, thanks for your comment. The final output, which will be an update to this document as high-level prioritized standards, a long-list of standards similar to what was produced in the Landscape, and an accompanying report providing the narrative and explanation of how we produced the roadmap. The long-list of standards, will definitely have a searchable function. 

Is there a particular example of what you are after? Is it about the competency of operators to be aware of these interactions, be able to assess their impact and provide evidence to show how the mitigate the impact for example?

[Gill Fisher]

Yes that sort of thing. Also if a plan/project is going to be going over an SSSI or SPA that the appropriate consultation is made in advance with The Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies’ (SNCBs) (Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, NatureScot, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, and DAERA’s statutory advisory body, the Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside). Something on the legislative protection of birds/ sites too?

[Dimitri Panagio]

Absolutely!

Typically big projects like 'change of airspace' for temporary operations of drones (Temporary Danger Areas, or other such mechanisms being used these last few years, to test routine drone operations), go through a consultation process and engage with all affected stakeholders, which should include the bodies you mention. Smaller projects in more localised areas (e.g. asset inspections), typically require Risk Assessments of the area affected, which include environmental considerations and should also include impact to wildlife and protected sites. 

Note that this Risk assessment would be more grouped in the 'Operations' theme, but I agree that the 'Competency' should have something to ensure pilots and associated crew are aware that these assessments should be conducted.

We will for sure try to make these aspects easily accessible and searchable in the final list we publish. 

thanks for your input!

[Sasha]

@Gill Fisher just as a side note, we also have a community on Nature Investment Standards Hub, covering areas such as Nature Markets, Supply of Biodiversity Benefits, Supply of Natural Carbon Benefits, and others related to nature investment. It is not related to aviation/future flight, however given your comments and your organisation, I thought it may be of interest to you.  

[Gill Fisher]

I am part of a Drones and Wildlife group formed this year. This group has some representatives from SNCBs, Academics, representatives from some conservation NGOs and many drone pilots. One of the purposes of the group is to establish a measure of competency that enables pilots to be approved or qualified so that they are able to show that they can conduct wildlife survey without causing harm (or chasing away the very creatures they are trying to count!). I feel like there is definitely some overlap here.