Thread: FPV - new CAA rule

New CAA rule for FPV pilots - a "reasonable" step in the right direction for a change.....

Just had this notification from FPV UK:

FPV UK is very pleased to announce that on the 21st September 2011 the CAA authorised First Person View flying as Person In Charge; a second pilot is no longer required.

This authorisation is in the form of an Exemption from article 166(3) of the Air Navigation Order 2009 and is only for full members of FPV UK when they fly models of less than 1.8kg, below 400ft, and have a Competent Observer as lookout.

The Exemption ties in with the new FPV UK Pilot Handbook which includes excellent guidance on FPV flying and specific guidance on flying FPV with a Competent Observer; such as what he or she should say if they spot a full size aircraft heading your way.

FPV UK Chairman Simon Dale said “We have been working with the CAA for over two years on this and we’re extremely pleased to have got to this point. FPV flying offers a great fun and absorbing (or should that be addictive?!) new aspect to our wonderful hobby and it’s fantastic that competent flyers can now fly without having to find another R/C pilot happy to hold a buddy switch for the entire duration of each and every flight!”

A copy of the exemption is here: http://tinyurl.com/fpvexemption A copy of the FPV UK Pilot’s Handbook is here: http://tinyurl.com/fpvpilothandbook

Cheers,

this exemption is only if you have bought FPV insurance, same old BMFA rules apply otherwise.

cheers

good news! i would love to try this... but can't find any starter set that contains absolutely everything i need to get going.. including plane.

Thanks for the post Simon, cheers

1.8Kg is a bit of a low limit, if it was even just 1Kg more it would be reasonable.

Originally Posted by Rotorhead

1.8Kg is a bit of a low limit, if it was even just 1Kg more it would be reasonable.

I thought that was interesting, too.

Maybe intended to limit range & potential payload, as well as the potential for accidental damage.

1.8 will quickly disappear, at that limit I would probably not even bother, you'd be struggling to get much more than a T-rex 500 or a 50" wingspan plane under that all up weight with the camera and transmitter, actually I think you'd struggle without the camera and transmitter....

2.8 isn't exactly going to be a large model either.

Remember CAA really means Cancel All Aviation , and if they dont want to draw flak by banning something (which is usually the case with government types) they'll just make it as difficult as possible by making the conditions so limited it effectively does it.

Originally Posted by jamiem

The 1.8kg limit actually sounds quite sensible if you ask me. It helps to limit people from being too stupid with trying to FPV massive stuff. TBH, when I FPV'd my Tricopter (approx 1kg all up), it was a massive buzz, but I wouldn't have wanted to do it with anything bigger/heavier for a number of reasons, most of which you will only understand if you have actualy had a go at flying FPV.

"Massive stuff" to me means T-rex 600/700 size, and they would be well outside 2.8 aswell, a model in that class they will be double the limit easy....

A 500 or something is hardly "massive stuff" and if talking about planks it's also hardly a massive plane at 1.8Kg or at 2.8.