Dr Alan McKenna, an expert at the University on the legal issues surrounding drones, says new government plans to introduce an annual drone operator fee are confused.
He commented: ‘The government plan to charge an annual drone operator registration fee of £16.50 has been questioned for both the size of the fee and the fact that the government will require commercial pilots, who already pay an annual fee to fly commercially, to also have to pay this additional fee.
‘Before the announcement was made it had been expected that registration would only be required of leisure drone operators. The government have justified the amount of the fee on the basis that the Civil Aviation Authority, who will administer the drone registration database, are required to recoup all costs incurred. If the numbers registering are higher than currently anticipated the government have said the fee may be reduced.
‘Those registering, who must be at least 18 years old, will receive a unique code that they will need to place on their drone. Drone pilots will also be required to take an online competency test before legally being able to fly. This also will apply to commercial drone pilots, even though they will already have undertaken a full drone training course, which on the face of it seems somewhat bizarre.
‘When the online competency test was initially announced, it was said to be aimed at all drone pilots, no matter their age, but it has emerged that the government are proposing that those having to take the test will be aged 12 and above, raising a confusing question over the position of under-12s and their flying of drones.’
Dr McKenna, of Kent Law School, has been an expert participant in a Drone Public Dialogue event organised on behalf of the Ministry of Defence and Department of Transport used to help develop Government drone policies. He is also a member of Kent Police’s Drone Development Board. See his new research on drone-related calls to police here.