Lets be honest, its only a matter of time before a drone is used in the UK to cause an act of terror. I truly think in 2016 a drone will be used to kill or at least cause damage to infrastructure in Britain or Europe. Why? Drones are the perfect platform to inflict panic in a community. The are cheap to buy, readily available and there is currently no way of tracking an owner.
Could the government make a start in putting together actions to combat this? Yes. Are they? No. A Act, that would mean, like buy and owning a car, you have to give your personal details to the powers that be.
If you buy a drone, you are only required to get a licence and ‘register’ if you are making money off it. However Taxi drivers aren’t the only ones required to get a license, insurance and insure their car is fit. Everyone does. Therefore it makes sense that everyone who buy a drone, registers it, insures it and maintains it.
There should be levels of insurance, ie a 15 who gets one for christmas, has to register his name and serial number on a site. He ticks a box to say he has ready the rules. High Street insures offer a policy to your ‘home and contents’ and it costs you £25 a year. Commercial operators should have varying levels. Annual UAS income of £0 – £15000 year (ie part-time) £750. Company income £15000 – £30000 pay around £1250 a year and anyone over that is most likely one of the few big timers and should pay significanlty more.
Its not about making money its about having a safe more regulated industry.
Luckily, in some cases, we don’t need the government to start the ball rolling, the occasional organisation or person will come along, and try to make that change themselves.
I meant to blog about the Drone Safe Register a few months ago, when i started seeing their promotions on various Facebook groups, then on google and now they seem to be doing good things all over the country!
In short, what Mark Boyt (i’ve got to know Mark personally since joining DSR, more on that shortly) set up DSR becuase of a lack of a central hub or destination for UAS Pilots and companies to share ideas and business opportunities. More importantly it was established with the general public in mind.
http://dronesaferegister.org.uk/
If you are reading this, chances are you have nothing better to do. And you are interested in Drones. The general public will never read anything i have written. Their only interaction with Drone is when they see one blowing up a wedding in the Middle East, on the news. Or more and more frequently in the papers, flying too close to an Airplane.
What DSR have done is aimed their viral marking right in the face of the public. Why, becuase no one else is doing it! The CAA has its list of approved UAS operators. Unless you know what to type and where to look, you will never find it as Joe Public. Since DSR hit the scene, i noticed a much old UAS forum/community pop up, ARPAS, who again like the CAA have a dated website, no consumer friendly at all. Only DSR seems to understand how to relate to the laymen.
They produced a very high quality animated video, that gives someone looking to hire a drone operator, all the information they could need, and in a way they will understand it. Its bright and colourful, and if you ever have a customer who is unsure of what you do, show them this video!
However DSR have another trick up its sleeve. This is also a tool for the public to find a qualified pilot and for qualified Pilots to showcase their video, company, profile and potential contracts. Click on the map, find a local company, and check out their profile.
Public wins. Pilot win. Cost to public free! Cost to Pilot £8.25 a month! Ha, sorry Mark, if you ever read this, im not laughing at you, im laughing at how cheap something so useful and so important, can be this cheap. And it work….
I mentioned earlier that i have gotten to know Mark personally? Well last month i asked DSR to accompany me on an important contact in London. It was my most prestigious contract to date, and i needed to ensure the client was fully confident in the operation. I contacted Mark and he agreed to put together a team and equipment to assist myself and the client. It was a great success, and a owe a huge thank you to Mark and the team at DSR for making it such a success. DSR assisted me in the planning, prep and actual completion of the job, (that will air on ABC in the states later this year, so stay tuned) and i couldn’t have done it without them.
(DSR brought along some of their equipment to supplement mine and help me out with ground based filming. Saved me a fortune!)
So would i recommend joining DSR and parting with £8 a month, yes, even if you are part-time, i have picked up two jobs so far from the site since January, and even better met other pilots too. Which will lead me onto my next blog post, regarding my most recent operation with Des Sterland at SkyHawx in Chorley, a fantastic pilot, and another Drone Safe Registered member.
I would like to Doth my Cap to Mark, he has stuck his hand in his own pocket, to build a website and brand that is designed to educate and inform the public, offer a platform for the public to work with UAS companies. The government should take note of what Mark has achieved and look to create a similar venture, where everyone who buys a drone is registered. It wont stop the most dedicated idiots, from doing idiotic things with Drones, but it is a proactive step in the right direction. Take note Mr Cameron.
Thumbs Up DSR!
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