In the previous few days not less than two high-profile tales have emerged regarding drone security. The first includes a Seattle man being jailed for a month after his drone fell out of the sky and injured two individuals throughout a satisfaction parade in 2015. The second apparently concerned a GoPro Karma crashing via the window of a New York condo. Both incidents have introduced into query the security of shopper drones – in explicit the place they need to and shouldn’t be flown.
It’s most likely fairly well timed then, that two drone security apps for pilots in the UK and Australia are starting to take off. In the US, functions resembling Hover, B4UFLY and UAV Forecast are serving to pilots keep away from no-fly zones and genuinely avoid angering the FAA – however additional afield there was much less executed to boost consciousness of those points. Until lately, anyway.
An official app has launched in the UK and one is on the horizon in Australia, as a part of a concerted effort on behalf of aviation our bodies to advertise drone security. In the UK, it’s been 10 weeks since The Civil Aviation Authority and the National Air Traffic Control Services launched an app referred to as Drone Assist, which helps leisure and industrial pilots adjust to UK drone legal guidelines. The CAA has mentioned that greater than 10,000 customers have already downloaded the app.
On prime of accelerating drone gross sales over the 2016 Christmas interval, it appears as if each different day there are studies of close to misses between plane and shopper drones. “It is therefore more important than ever for drone users to have the tools and information needed to operate safely, which is what Drone Assist aims to provide,” says Phil Binks, NATS drone lead. “We’re delighted that the app has been so well received and hope that its use helps to contribute to safer airspace with more responsible drone users.”
In Australia, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has partnered with aviation software program firm Drone Complier to provide an app that helps pilots keep secure and throughout the legislation. The ‘Can I fly there?’ app can be obtainable on smartphone and pill and is being designed with members of the CASA’s new sub-2kg industrial class in thoughts.
CASA’s group supervisor of aviation, Graeme Crawford, is hoping it is going to assist to coach Australia’s drone group. “The app will encourage these drone flyers to operate responsibly and to follow our standard operating conditions each and every time they fly,” Crawford mentioned. “We know people want to have fun with their drones. We want to help them do this safely by reducing the potential for them to fly their drone inadvertently in a way that might cause a threat to aircraft or other people.”