photo Зеркало недели
There is a strange situation in Ukraine now: the country has become one of the world’s main testing grounds for the drone revolution, but the rules for this revolution still live in the “we’ll figure it out later” mode.. Martial law, civilian UAV flights are prohibited, the skies are closed, safety comes first. But the problem did not go away. There are more and more drones: FPV, quadcopters, agrodrones, filming platforms, homemade devices, training kits, sports models. People want to fly, train, film, test, launch “somewhere in a field where no one is bothered”. And often they really have no malicious intent.. But a drone isn't only dangerous when it's launched by a criminal.. It is also dangerous when it is led by an enthusiast with the logic “there is no one here”.
A car also does not become safe just because the driver is a good person.. Therefore, there are rights, technical inspection, license plates, traffic rules and responsibility. There must be the same logic in the sky. Because a drone is not a toy with a camera. This is something that can fall on a person, fly into a strategic object, cause panic, interfere with aviation or become an instrument of crime.
The first damn thing is lumpy.
The Verkhovna Rada has already tried to resolve this. Bill No. 13600 was supposed to normalize the use of UAVs, it was supported by the working group of the committee on law enforcement issues, and representatives of the defense sector, the presidential office, the State Aviation Service and other structures were involved in the discussion. But there were not enough votes - the Rada did not support the document in the first reading. And here it is important not to throw away the idea along with a bad bill. Because drone registration and pilot training are necessary.
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Deputy Yulia Klimenko criticized the project precisely because it “forces absolutely all drones into the register,” as well as for paid, non-transparent registration, mandatory paid training and certification in incomprehensible companies. And it’s hard to disagree with this, especially if the state makes security out of another “small business with permits”. But the absence of law is even worse.
At that time, the head of the National Police, Ivan Vyhovsky, explained the logic of the register as follows: it should work as a state information system, similar to vehicle registration, but taking into account the specifics of UAVs. According to him, registration was planned in electronic format through the online platform or “Diyu”, with the entry of the owner’s data and technical characteristics of the drone.
Safety by weight.
Europe has already passed this. The European Union has regulations for drones, in particular regulations 2019/947 and 2019/945. EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) explains that from December 31, 2020, registration of drone operators and certified drones became mandatory, and from 2023, all flights in the “open” category must comply with European regulations. The logic is simple: not all flights are equally risky, so the rules should not be equally strict, but proportional. By the way, for illegal flights - a fine of about 1000 euros.
There are three basic levels in the EU: open, specific and certified. For most recreational and low-risk flights - open category.
Open (open category): small drones flying within line of sight - the least risk to others.
Specific: For medium risk flights - prior authorization required.
Certified: High risk flight - requires drone and pilot certification.
The open category of drones is divided into subcategories A1, A2, A3: A1 - drones up to 900 g, A2 - from 900 g to 4.5 kg (most specialized filming drones) and A3 - 4.5-25 kg (large sports models and agricultural drones).
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The founder of one of the oldest UAV pilot training schools in Kyiv, Dmitry Sledyuk, notes that the gradation of drones by weight is not very logical. Because, for example, among the 250-gram ones, which in Europe can be used without documents, there are samples capable of carrying several grams of explosives, which is enough to destroy a living target. As an alternative, Dmitry Sledyuk proposes distribution by purpose. By the way, there are also age restrictions..
“Until last year (in Europe. — Ed. ) the bar was 16 years old, today it’s 14. That is, from the age of 14 you already have the right to obtain a UAV pilot’s license. And up to 14 you can fly in the presence of a certified pilot. Also, if you are a father and you have a driver’s license, you can teach your son to drive a car, even if he does not have a license. But you are nearby and responsible for him,” explained Dmitry Sledyuk.
UAV registration system in Ukraine.
The model could be as follows.
First: electronic registry of operators and drones. Not a paper fortress with certificates, but a simple office in “Diya” or on the platform of the State Aviation Service. The owner enters information about himself, model, weight, serial number, type of use: hobby, education, sports, agriculture, media, business, scientific work. The drone receives a unique number, which is applied to the body.
Second: pilot training. Not “course for 15 thousand. UAH in the company of the godfather of the air huckster,” and a state or accredited online course with a test. The basic level should be free or for a nominal price. A person must know not only where the take-off button is, but also what is altitude, restricted area, signal loss, responsibility, privacy, flying near people, risk of falling, battery, wind, prohibited areas.
Third: gradation by risk. There may be lighter requirements for a small drone up to 250g, without dangerous flight over people. Device from 250 g - mandatory operator registration. Heavier drones, FPV, flying close to people, commercial surveying, agri-processing, beyond visual line of sight - higher level of certification.
Fourth: map of permitted and prohibited areas. The pilot must open the application and see: you can’t fly here, you can fly here after an application, here you can according to the basic rules, here there is a temporary restriction due to a military facility, fire, evacuation or aviation operation. EASA explicitly states that countries must provide geographic zone information for drones in digital format.
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Fifth: remote identification. It's kind of like a license plate, only in the air.. Law enforcement or relevant services must see what kind of drone is flying, who it belongs to and who the operator is. Not to chase a wedding cameraman around the field, but to distinguish a legal flight from an unknown object.
Sixth: responsibility for consequences. If a person flies without registration, without a certificate, in a prohibited area or while intoxicated - a fine. If this caused harm to people or large losses, then criminal liability.
Seventh: Exceptions for Defense, Manufacturers and Training. You need to be very careful here. Ukraine should not strangle its drone ecosystem. The war showed that FPV, engineers, volunteers, clubs, startups and training grounds are not a hobby, but an element of the survival of the state. Therefore, manufacturers, schools, military training centers, scientific institutions should receive a separate regime: there is registration, there is security, but without the bureaucratic crucible.
The best option?
Drones are a fast, widespread and nervous technology. If the law just tightens the screws, people will bypass it. If the law is reasonable, UAV owners themselves will want to be legalized, because this will give them the right to fly, insurance, access to training grounds, clear rules and less risk of being confused with a saboteur.
The best option for Ukraine is a European model, but adapted to war. That is, do not invent a “Ukrainian bicycle with square propellers,” but create a system that has already been largely tested and works:.
basic online operator registration;
registration of drones weighing from 250 g;
free basic test for amateurs;
separate certificate for more complex flights;
digital map of zones in the application;
remote identification for risky categories;
simplified regime for education, sports, science and manufacturers;
strict liability for flying near critical objects, people, military zones and while intoxicated.
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And most importantly, the registry should not be a public list of “who has a drone at home”. It's a security issue. But authorized services must have access to it.
***.
After the war, Ukraine will become a country of hundreds of thousands of people who know how to fly drones. Some of them will come from the front, some from educational centers, some from business, the agricultural sector, media, and engineering schools.. Therefore, for all these people, it is not prohibitions for the sake of prohibitions that are needed. Air culture required. As with roads: licenses do not make all drivers perfect, but without rights and rules, the road turns into a metal zoo. Same with drones. Heaven cannot be a place where everyone launches whatever they want and wherever they want..
Drone Ukraine has already been born. Now she needs to be given documents, taught the rules and explained: you can fly, but not like a sparrow after coffee. Because in the modern world, the right to fly begins with responsibility on the ground.
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