BALPA RPAS working Group
mid-meeting update March 2016
progress and activity repot
RPAS technology and business is developing rapidly, and the RPASWG has been busy facing the many challenges this presents.
Highlights-
Highlights-
- Short, medium and long term RPAS strategy agreed and underway
- Discussions with Amazon Prime Air.
- Talks with Thales into conducting a RPAS detector survey of LHR or LGW area
- Collaboration with MAA on RPAS collision testing
RPASWG strategy
having a clear strategy will help prioratise activities and ensure that the WG stays on track to deal with the issues, whether they are immediate issues such as collision risk ,medium such as pressure on pilot T&C or the longer term future of the pilot profession.
Amazon Prime Air means business
after meeting them in BRU this month, it was abundantly clear that Amazon are very serious about operating a drone based delivery service. they have the money, technology capability, data, skills and determination to succeed. see promo video belo. And this is just a part of it, a major part of their business will be providing fully automatic Air traffic services to other drone users in the 300-400ft band of airspace.
drone detection and security
To understand the risk of drone collision we need to know their number and distribution, and so we are in early discussions with Thales on use of their drone detection equipment, The hope will be to surveying a busy airport area to see how many drones are actually in the air. This is a great opportunity to collaborate with other agencies such as the police and NATS
Amazon Prime Air
Influencing key players and those in power
BALPA RPASWG will be active in Westminster in 2016
BALPA will be speaking at a security related event in Westminster in May and we are also planning our own RPAS briefing after the summer recess, and the referendum result, in September.
Next RPASWG meeting
21st April @1330-1645.