What happens to drones in the UK after Brexit?
there are currently no requirements to obtain a UKCA marking as the provisions in retained EU Delegated Regulation 2019/945 do not have practical effect until 1 January 2024.
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RPS Core Layer Standardisation
The goal of the RPS Core Layer Standardisation project is to support the development of standards, particularly the Minimum Operational Performance Standards (MOPS)
Certified category drones
The ‘certified’ category drones cater for the operations with the highest level of risk. For example, future drone flights with passengers on board, such as air taxis, will fall into this category. The approach to ensure these flights’ safety will be very similar to the one used for manned aviation.
Types of risks in drone operation
The operation of drones can be very risky sometimes, especially now that their usage is so extended. That’s why is so important the managing and insure against risk by manufacturers and operators.
Air taxis regulation framework in cities
EASA published rules for the operation of air taxis in cities. This EU drone regulation is open to public consultation until end of September.
EXPODRONICA 2022
This event is considered the most important in Spain dedicated to drones for civilian use, with the participation of more than 50 companies in the sector.
Product Conformity Assessment
Product conformity assessment includes testing, inspection, and certification, all done by our Laboratories in Alter Technology.
EASA publishes AMC for “enhanced containment” provisions
Under the premise of always keeping safety in mind, EASA has published means to show compliance with the ‘’enhanced containment’’ provisions for drones allowing the applicant to declare compliance without applying for a design verification report.
Affixing of the CE Marking to UAS
Affix the CE Marking is to identify the applicable Directives and Harmonized Standards, bearing in mind that we should follow Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945. The next steps are dedicated to deciding which conformity assessment procedure to use (Module A, Module B+C, Module H, etc.)
DRONExpo 2022
ALTER TECHNOLOGY will present to manufacturers and distributors the process of carrying out the conformity assessment of a drone concerning Regulation 2019/945, requirements and phases (laboratory tests, flight tests, and certification decision), as well as the importance of carrying out this process to adapt as soon as possible to the new European drone regulation, which will allow manufacturers and distributors to access the European market.
EASA publishes Opinion No. 02/2022
EASA has recently published Opinion No. 02/2022 as an Update of Commission Regulation (EU) No 452/2014 (Third-Country Operator (TCO) Regulation.
Drones insurance: requirements for air carriers and aircraft operators
In the European Union, as a drone operator, you must have insurance for your drone if you are using a drone with a weight above 20kg. In addition, most EASA Member States force the operator to have third-party insurance if the drone operated is lighter than 20kg.
EU Drone Regulation Guidance 2019/945: Conformity assessment of drones
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 of 12 March 2019 on unmanned aircraft systems and third-country operators of unmanned aircraft systems.
EU Drone Regulation Guidance 2019/945: Obligations relating to distributors
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 of 12 March 2019 on unmanned aircraft systems and third-country operators of unmanned aircraft systems.
EASA – Prototype Technical Design Specifications for Vertiports
A vertiport (VTP) is ‘’an area of land, water, or structure used or intended to be used for the landing and take-off of VTOL-capable aircraft’’. VTP will refer to the new spaces destined for the landing and take-off of drones and future “flying taxis.” Vertiports should be classified as aerodromes due to aerodrome and vertiport regulations.
EU Drone Regulation Guidance 2019/945: Obligations relating to importers
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 of 12 March 2019 on unmanned aircraft systems and third-country operators of unmanned aircraft systems.
EU Drone Regulation Guidance 2019/945: Obligations of manufacturers
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 of 12 March 2019 on unmanned aircraft systems and third-country operators of unmanned aircraft systems.
EU Drone Regulation Guidance 2019/945: Product requirements
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 of 12 March 2019 on unmanned aircraft systems and third-country operators of unmanned aircraft systems.
EU Drone Regulation Guidance 2019/945: General provisions
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 of 12 March 2019 on unmanned aircraft systems and third-country operators of unmanned aircraft systems.
Conformity assessment according to Module B+C
Conformity assessment and examination according to module B (Europe type-examination) and Module C (Conformity to type based on internal production control) per Annex II.
Evaluating conformity of the Quantum-Systems drone
ALTER TECHNOLOGY is collaborating with Quantum-Systems to evaluate the conformity of their product range of Unmanned Aircraft System.
Testing of BLACK SQUARE’s Hercules Quad drone
Alter Technology completes pilot testing of BLACK SQUARE’s Hercules Quad drone for pre-qualification and subsequent certification as a C6 class drone. The process to which all published documents undergo to be published for External Consultation
JARUS External Consultation- WG-SRM ‘’SORA Annex A’’.
The ‘’SORA Annex A’’ has been published for External Consultation as discussed and approved during the virtual Plenary in January. The deadline to submit comments is 7th April 2022. The process to which all published documents undergo to be published for External Consultation
Q&A: Notified Bodies (NBs) act within the scope of European Directives
COMMISSION DELEGATED REGULATION (EU) 2019/945 does not require harmonized standards for compliance, which means that a Notified Body can use other procedures to assess the essential requirements included in a directive.
Article 22 – Requirements relating to notified bodies
EU Drone Regulation Guidance Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 of 12 March 2019 on unmanned aircraft systems and third-country operators of unmanned aircraft systems Article 22 Requirements relating to notified bodies
CE & UKCA marking in UK after Brexit
UKCA marking is the new UK product marking used for goods placed on Great Britain (England, Wales, and Scotland). At the same time, Northern Ireland remains within the single market. It covers most goods that previously required the CE marking, known as ‘new approach’ goods. Moreover, it applies to sprays.
3 ways to make money with professional drones
Working with professional drones to earn money, There are many manners to make a living; you just need to have imagination and to will to turn your favorite hobby into your job
ED Decision 2022/002/R: Guidance to drone operations in the EU
Stakeholders provided EASA with useful information responding to the NPA 2021-09 (open consultation). EASA analyzed and reviewed this information and developed the ED Decision 2022/002/R.
ALTER would extend its accreditation to the specific category
ENAC certified ALTER to carry out conformity assessment of drones in the open category. Now, they wants to extend it to the specific category.
ALTER, the first NB in Europe to assess conformity to drones
Alter Technology becomes the first Notified Body in Europe for Regulation 2019/945 to provide conformity according to the European rules for drones intended to be operated in the open category and remote identification add-ons.
ENAC has recently granted accreditation to Alter Technology
Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/945. Alter Technology became the first accredited body to carry out this activity in Spain and Europe. This accreditation allows Alter Technology to apply for the relevant notification to the Spanish Aviation Safety Agency and, once notified, to start offering its services in the market.
European Plan for Aviation Safety 2022 – 2026
The European Plan for Aviation Safety (EPA) is the aviation safety plan for the EASA Member States. It sets out the strategic priorities, enablers, and principal risks affecting the European aviation system and the necessary actions to mitigate them and improve aviation safety.
Difference between a drone operator and a drone pilot
A drone pilot is the person flying the drone. This person may not own the drone nor rent it. To get a pilot license it is necessary to take an online course offered by the relevant National Aviation Authority and pass the exam that takes place at the end of this course. Once the exam is passed, the student will receive a valid 5-years remote pilot competency certificate.
TRACE, a project of the European Union Agency
TRACE, a project of the European Union Agency for the European Union Space Programme (EUSPA) in the framework of the »Adoption of EGNOS in Aviation» program, recently carried out its final test flights in Jaen, Spain. The project has validated drones’ positioning and identification system and improved positioning accuracy thanks to an onboard smart beacon based on EGNOS capabilities.
Where does the term “drone” come from?
The first-ever recorded use of an unmanned aerial system was in 1849, when hot air balloons loaded with explosives started to be used in war. The prevailing winds carried balloons to the target area, where they fell and released the payload. Years later, during WWI and WWII, many unmanned vehicles were built by engineers and companies.
Notice of Proposed Amendment 2021-14
This NPA was developed due to the adoption of this regulatory package. It is very important to develop AMC (means of compliance) and GM (guidance material) in support of the U-space regulations because they specify the necessary means on how to enable the implementation of the U-space services and they support the traffic management of unmanned aircraft that can be integrated with manned aviation as well.
EASA consultation paper
EASA has published a consultation paper on Means of Compliance (MoC) for the Light-UAS.2511 focused on the adoption of an FTS (flight termination system), defined as an emergency measure (not a contingency measure).
UAS pilots training requirements updates!
With the development of the drone sector, a lot of people are willing to work as UAS pilots doing different activities such as, emergencies search and rescue, fire-fighting support, borders control and surveillance or even military operations. These are non-EASA activities and are under the control and responsibility of a Member State. These operations are excluded from the scope of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 of the European Parliament and the Council and included in the scope of the local regulation.
Easy Access Rules for SERA
This publication is a Revision from November 2021 and incorporates the amendments introduced in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 923/2012 by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/666, as regards requirements for manned aviation operating in U-space airspace.
New UAV Testing Centre in Moguer (Huelva)
The areas of application of this new Centre that INTA intends to acquire will be flight testing of aeronautical equipment and systems, atmospheric research, remote sensing data collection, testing for the development, training, and education of flight and scientific crews, and qualification of new scientific instrumentation, among others.
Expodronica 2021 High lights
The presence at this event is vital to highlight the importance of the certification of drones for the CE marking and for the class label, which will be mandatory from January 2023 for every drone commercialized in the European Union.
Technical Seminar with Catalonia Smart Drones
From 2023 all UAS within the Open Category must have a class label and a sound power label (if applicable) to meet the associated requirements.
Innovative projects in the Drone Sector
The creation of new ideas and innovation projects within any industry allows for a clear evolution in technology and development. The companies involved in these projects have a significant commitment to contribute with work and experience to benefit this evolution.
S.O.S! Drone activities in La Palma volcano
Drones are proving to be increasingly useful. One of these uses is, as commented in other articles, the scientific one, which is becoming more than evident in situations such as those being experienced in the volcano of La Palma.
Easy Access Rules for UAS
The Commission regulation or EASA Executive Director (ED) decision through which the point or paragraph was introduced, or last amended is indicated below the point or paragraph title(s) in italics.
CE marking for drones
The CE marking is a label that many products must have to be sold in the European Union. This mark must be visible, legible, and indelible and demonstrates that the manufacturer has evaluated the effect considering it meets the requirements for a specific sector and associated European Directives and Regulations.
TRACE drone-flight
TRACE project is led by ALTER TECHNOLOGY, and is a result of collaboration among renowned European companies such as UNIFLY (Belgium), PILDO LABS and FADA-CATEC (Spain).
World ATM Congress and Expodronica
FADA-CATEC, will be presenting the TRACE project, led by ALTER, and focused on promoting and fostering the use of EGNOS in the drones’ sector by developing a smart beacon that will increase the safety levels of VLL (Very Low Level) operations.
Jamming & Spoofing of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)
What a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is? A constellation of satellites provides geospatial positioning with global coverage, both autonomously and with augmentation systems.
AMC and GM to Regulation (EU) 2019/947
The AMC and GM for the geographical zones are the outcomes of the UAS Geographical Zones Task. Both are expected to maintain safety regarding UAS operations in the ‘open’ and ‘specific’ categories.
DREAM Project: safe inspections with drones
DREAM aimed at developing an application with drones to increase safety in the inspection and maintenance at a concise range in open and industrial spaces, proposing three specific use cases.
Drones Functional Safety Assessment
There are several potential hazards around an RPAS operation. A functional evaluation is required with a minimum acceptance criterion to mitigate the associated risks from the development stage and along the entire lifecycle.
CDTI is promoting the development of innovative technologies for UAS
The UAS sector has been growing and it is expected to grow further and further in the near future. In Spain, CDTI (Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico Industrial) is supporting and helping the companies.
CTN 28/SC2 Unmanned aerial systems
The growth of the drone sector has made it necessary to create standards and regulations for the safe operation of these devices. Spanish drone industry participates in the creation of international standards through the CTN 28/SC2 Unmanned aerial systems.
It is Summertime! Can I fly my drone?
The summer season is the favorite time to go on holidays, if you are one of the kind of people that love to fly a drone during your holidays, there are some things you need to know before.
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1166
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1166 of 15 July 2021 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947
Notice of Proposed Amendment 2021-09
European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has developed a Notice of Proposed Amendment 2021-09 in line with Regulation (EU) 2018/1139.
ALTER presents «DRONES CE LAB»
ALTER TECHNOLOGY is pleased to announce the launch of the DRONES CE LAB. This is a new platform created as part of our continuous commitment to provide valued support to the Drones Market.
AIRWATCH: The Drone for Maritime Search & Rescue Operations
AIRWATCH was the first funded drone project for Alter Technology, in 2016. It was awarded within the INTERCONNECTA 2016 funding programme of CDTI (Spain).
Requirements for drones of each class
These labels together with the CE marking are the way to verify and validate the safety capabilities of a drone to comply the essential requirement promoted by the European Commission.
CE Marking Process Requirements
CE Marking guarantees that a product meets the requirements necessary to be sold and enjoy free circulation in the European market. Before affixing the lab, the products need to go through a series of steps that manufacturers must consider.
Drones Regulation Transition
The Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 entered into force last December 31, 2020. This new regulation makes a more inclusive framework for drone operations, ensuring and improving safety, security and sustainability.
Aircraft Regulation Transition
Aircraft not privately manufactured and not belonging to class C0, C1, C2, C3, or C4 may continue to be used if they have been introduced on the European Union market before 1 January 2023.
Aeromodelling Regulation Transition
Aeromodelling / UAS operations in the framework of aeromodelling clubs and associations may continue to be conducted based on the relevant national rules and until 1 January 2023.
Pilots Regulation Transition
UAS to be operated in the ‘open category and not belonging to one of the classes C0, C1, C2, C3, or C4 laid down in Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 may continue to be operated until 1 January 2023 under the conditions listed in this post.
What is a drone?
A drone, also called UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System) or RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft System), is an aircraft that flies without a pilot on board, instead of, they may be operated remotely by a human pilot, but this is not always necessary because some of them have autopilot or total autonomy.
Declaration of Conformity and CE Marking
In this webinar, you have the opportunity to know in details more about the Declaration of Conformity and CE Marking as a Class Label in drones for the European Market
Drones Product Safety
Drones Product Safety Plan shapes the commercialization of different types of drone products. For this reason, it has been a priority for regulators from the beginning in the European Union (E.U).
Radiated and Conducted Immunity
EMC Tests known as Immunity Tests. This type of test can distinguish two types of emissions that help us to understand these tests and their characteristics.
Conducted Immunity
This type of test has the purpose that electrical and electronic equipment have a good performance, even with the possibility of being affected by being in an electromagnetic environment.
Electrical transients test
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