Crew Using Drones at Risk of Arrest

Some recent incidents in India and the Suez Canal have found crew members unwittingly fall foul of a nation’s rules on the use of drones – also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).

No common rules

There are no common or international rules governing the use of drones. Each country has different licensing requirements and operating restrictions. In the USA, individual States have their own rules on top of the those imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration.

The rules in some countries are very restrictive and the focus of their regulation encompasses both aviation safety and general security concerns. In some countries, such as Sweden, someone operating a drone with a camera could find themselves in breach of surveillance laws.

In many countries, the recreational use of drones is not strictly regulated, and formal licensing is limited to commercial operators. However, it is usual for a country to require that recreational drones are registered prior to use.

Think before using

Before using your drone, check the local rules. If you break the rules, you can be arrested and prosecuted.

If you are unsure on the rules, don’t risk flying your drone.

If the rules allow you to fly a drone, think about your surroundings.

Do not fly a drone:

• near any military installations,
• near airports or an airport’s flight restriction zone,
• near or over built-up areas,
• near or over crowds of people.

Further information

The Drone Code issued by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) provides simple common-sense advice on using a drone.