All ICAO’s Member States asked ICAO to develop a regulatory framework for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) that operate outside of the IFR International arena.
ICAO reviewed the existing UAS regulations of many States to identify commonalities and best practices. After reviewing ICAO published the UAS Regulations in three-part – Parts 101, Part 102, and Part 149.
- Part 101 deals with UA weighing 25 kg or less.
- Part 102 addresses all UA operations using UA that weigh more than 25 kg or those weighing 25 kg or less but do not adhere to Part 101 requirements.
- Part 149 promotes the use of an Approved Aviation Organization to serve as a designee authorized by the CAA to perform specific tasks like UA inspection, UA approval, Remote Pilot licensing, etc. This provide more expeditious processing and may reduce the workload for CAA Inspectors.
ADVISORY CIRCULARS
The following ACs have been provided for additional insight into the ICAO UAS Regulations:
AC 101-1: This provides guidance related to rule 101 regarding Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) operations in the Open Category.
AC 102-1: This provides guidance related to rule 102 regarding the UAS operations in the Specific Category, UAS authorizations, or a UAS operator certificate (UOC). It also addresses requirements for manufacturers.
AC 102-37: This provides guidance for the carriage of dangerous goods transported by Unmanned Aircraft (UA).
The ICAO UAS Regulations and companion Advisory Circulars (ACs) offer a template for Member States to implement or to supplement their existing UAS regulations. ICAO said, These regulations and advisory circulars are intended to be a living document and will evolve as the industry matures, providing States and regulators with internationally harmonized material based on the latest developments.
Drone Laws – United States and Europe
- United States – 14 CFR FAA Part 107
- Europe – EU Regulations 2019/947
