A new regulation for European airspace has been in force since 05.12.2014: SERA. It creates uniform rules for pilots. These also apply to UAS and UAVs.

Rough content of the SERA (2014)

In Germany, airspace F (Foxtrot) will disappear with immediate effect and will be replaced by the mandatory radio zone (RMZ). The RMZ stipulates that radio communication equipment must be carried and operated for all flights in this airspace. According to German Air Traffic Control (DFS), the RMZ can also be used in airspaces E, F and G.

In addition, the definition of day and night changes. Night is defined as the hours between the end of civil twilight and the beginning of civil dawn. Civil twilight therefore ends in the evening and begins in the morning when the center of the sun's disk is 6° below the horizon. This rule should also not be neglected with regard to the transponder and recognition obligation in airspace. However, as national and European law collide on this point, there will be differences between countries. Nevertheless, civil twilight in Germany lasts around 40 minutes. However, it can be assumed that Germany will stick to the old regulations, as there is already a regulation on day and night in paragraph 2 of the draft of the new Air Regulation.

Further detailed information can be found on the website aerokurier.de.

Latest changes (March 2022)

The revision of the Easy Access Rules (EAR) for the SERA of 2022 resulted from the EASA decision. It includes the introduction of accepted verification procedures (AMC) and guidelines (GM) for radiotelephony phrases for the provision of aerodrome flight information services (AFIS).

In addition, the EAR is displayed in an "easy-to-read" format with advanced navigation features using links and bookmarks. They are also available as dynamic online publications with filters, search functions and navigation for computers, tablets and cell phones.

Further information can be found on the EASA website.

To be allowed to fly a drone, you must have a corresponding remote pilot license or a drone driver's license. These two types have been available since the EU regulation of 2019 for controlling UAS in the "Open" class.

Drone driver's license - EU proof of competence

The German Federal Aviation Authority (LBA) requires an EU certificate of competence for the safe operation of a drone. This comprises online training courses and online examinations that must be completed. The online examination consists of 9 subject areas with a total of 40 multiple-choice questions. If no more than 30 questions are answered correctly, the exam must be repeated. It is possible to take these exams several times.

The corresponding document is issued after successful completion of the test. The EU certificate of competence is valid for subcategories A1 and A3 of the "Open" category.

Remote pilot license - EU remote pilot certificate

First of all, an EU certificate of competence is required to apply for this license. This is followed by practical self-training under the conditions of the A3 subcategory. The theory test now takes place at a test center designated by the LBA. This consists of 30 multiple-choice questions from 3 subject areas. Some test centers rely on a combination of practical training and the theory test, which is then taken.

The application for the EU Remote Pilot Certificate must be submitted to the LBA after successful completion. This license is valid for the A2 subcategory of the "Open" class.

Fees for the remote pilot license and drone license

Issuing the EU certificate of competence for A1 and A3 costs €25.00. After payment, the necessary test can be taken as often as required, as the fee is only charged once.

The issue of the A2 remote pilot certificate costs €30.00. After successfully completing an additional theory test, it is possible to apply for a license at an LBA test centre, which charge different fees for the test.

Both licenses are valid for 5 years. In addition, an extension is possible by means of a re-test or refresher course. One testing center, for example, is seabirds.de GmbH near the Oldenburg-Hatten EDWH airfield.

Information about the test centers or further information can be found on the LBA website.

In addition, our employees Strauß and M. Rossol will be happy to answer any questions you may have about drones. You can also follow us on Instagram @b.r.m.Bremen.

There are many initiatives such as the Joint Authorities for Rulemaking on Unmanned Systems (JARUS) to make the air traffic of UAS and UAVs safer and more advanced. This deals with the regulation of UAS.

What is the JARUS?

JARUS is a group of experts from the National Aviation Authorities (NAAs) and the regional aviation safety organizations. The group proposes technical, operational and safety-related requirements for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in order to better integrate them into air traffic.

Who is part of the initiative?

JARUS members include 65 organizations, 63 countries, as well as EASA and EUROCONTROL.

Di Antonio and Stewart-Smith currently hold the leadership position. The Secretariat is headed by Secretary General Liu Hao and supported by China, Canada and Portugal. Since the end of 2015, there has also been a Stakeholder Advisory Board (SCB), which reflects the interests of all stakeholder communities in the industry and enables them to support JARUS activities.

SCB members include aircraft manufacturers, the UAS industry, aviation safety organizations (ANSPs), standardization bodies, airlines and aviation associations. The JARUS initiative has organized the activities and assigned them to working groups (WGs).

What does it do?

The first working group, "Flight Crew Licencing", deals with the licensing of personnel on board. While the second WG is responsible for "Operations", the third deals with "Airworthiness". Next comes the group for "Detection and Avoidance" and the group for "Command and Control". The sixth working group deals with "safety and risk management". The last is the group on "operational concepts".

In addition, the working groups can also make use of external consultants for further expertise. However, the consultant must first be appointed by the SCB.

A detailed overview of the tasks of the individual WGs can be found on the JARUS website.

According to German Air Traffic Control (DFS ), certain rules apply to the transponder obligation and recognition obligation in airspace. Both obligations are intended to make airspace safer by preventing collisions.

Transponder obligation and identification obligation

An aviation transponder is an electronic device that communicates via radio frequency interrogation. It provides important information for air traffic control (ATC) and the collision avoidance systems (ACAS) of other aircraft.

A secondary surveillance radar and an ACAS system interrogate the information from the transponder and thus make the airspace clearer. The transponder transmission therefore ensures the detection of other flying objects.

To which airspaces does the transponder and identification obligation apply?

All aircraft, whether gliders, free balloons or even hang gliders, must be equipped with a transponder in the following airspaces.

Class C and D airspaces, with the exception of the control zones, are affected. It therefore applies from 2,500 ft to 10,000 ft, which corresponds approximately to 762m to 3,048m.

Furthermore, this obligation applies in the Transponder Mandatory Zone (TMZ), which prescribes the use of a transponder with automatic altitude transmission.

The transponder requirement also applies to uncontrolled airspace at night. It also applies to motor-powered aircraft, excluding gliders, above 5,000 ft above sea level (normal zero), i.e. at the 1524 m limit.

Marking at night

To ensure that air obstacles are clearly visible to pilots at night, they must be made visible accordingly. Wind turbines or other tall buildings such as towers or chimneys must be visible in accordance with the regulations. To this end, the Federal Republic of Germany has followed international recommendations and implemented a General Administrative Regulation on the Marking of Aviation Obstacles (AVV). This specifies exactly how objects that protrude into the airspace must be secured.

The on-demand night-time marking (BNK) of wind turbines is currently only possible if the technical equipment of the aircraft is independent. A BNK transponder solution is fundamentally ruled out according to the current status of the AVV.

The experts Strauß and M. Rossol from the IT service provider b.r.m. will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

The VLOS, EVLOS and BVLOS are essential for flight. In addition to the usual regulations, such as certification and training, the operating modes must also be observed for drone operations.

VLOS (Visual Line of Sight)

In VLOS (visual line of sight) mode, the remote pilot must have uninterrupted and direct visual contact with his drone. He must be able to recognize the flight position without optical aids.

The exact visibility range depends on various factors. The type of drone, the weather and the lighting conditions are very important. As a rule, the larger the drone, the greater the distance. Smaller drones can be seen at 60-90m, while larger UAS can sometimes be operated at a distance of up to 130m.

EVLOS (Extended Visual Line of Sight)

Drone operation in extended visual contact is called EVLOS. The drone pilot is supported by one or more trained airspace observers, usually by radio. This ensures uninterrupted situational awareness of the airspace. This can also be done by technological means.

BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight)

The flight beyond visual line of sight is abbreviated to BVLOS. The remote pilot does not need direct visual contact with the drone, so it is the opposite of VLOS. A special permit from the responsible authority is required for this type of operation. Otherwise, flights outside of direct line of sight may not be covered by liability insurance.

The instruments of a Ground Control Station (GCS) or a Remote Pilot Station (RPS) are often used for this purpose. With the latter method, control of the flying object is ensured by communication between satellites, tower and other flying objects in the vicinity.

If you have any questions about drones, our employees Strauß and Rossol at b.r.m. will be happy to help you.

The EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) organized an online workshop on 23 February 2022 to present iConspicuity. The iConspicuity roadmap, i.e. the further integrative approach with manned and unmanned air traffic, was also defined there.

What exactly is iConspicuity?

iConspicuity stands for increased conspicuity, which, translated into German, means increased conspicuousness. It refers to the state of being clearly recognizable and informed.

The iConspicuity includes the most important information for the pilot of the various drones. In addition to general flight information and information on the weather, this explicitly describes the position of other flying objects in the vicinity. This information provides the remote pilot with particularly good support before and during the flight.

Why is iConspicuity being introduced?

In the past 10 years, there have been many collisions and accidents in uncontrolled air traffic. These were mainly small flying objects, resulting in a tragic 137 fatalities (in the 2009-2019 recording period). In addition, a further 60 collisions were fatal.

In order to reduce these figures, pilots should be better informed in future. The iConspicuity is designed to help with this by enabling other flight participants to be recognized more clearly. The pilot is thus optimally prepared for the flight and possible dangerous situations in the vicinity. This enables much safer air traffic.

Who is affected by the new procedure?

EASA envisages general air traffic (GA community), helicopter traffic (rotorcraft community) and other users participating in previously uncontrolled traffic for the measures under the idea of "iConspicuity". Furthermore, from January 2023, all unmanned aircraft operating in U-Space are to be made electronically visible and supported by a U-Space Service Provider (USSP).

The Bremen-based IT service provider b.r.m. is preparing to become a USSP. The company is using its GDPR-compliant green IT data center for this purpose. In addition, employees Markus Rossol and Maximilian Strauß have specialized in the area of current and future drone traffic. They will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

The association for unmanned aerial systems, UAV DACH e.V., met at the AERO 2022 in Friedrichshafen. After the general meeting, we went to the Dornier Museum for a barbecue evening. There was time to exchange new ideas on unmanned aviation in a great atmosphere. b.r.m. was represented by Mr. Harald Rossol, Maximilian Strauß and Markus Rossol. We have captured a few impressions here. We would like to take this opportunity to draw your attention to the next major event organized by UAV DACH e.V. The European Drone Forum

With its associations and companies such as AVIASPACE BREMEN e.V., the state of Bremen is a world leader in aerospace. This is ensured by leading industrial companies and their suppliers, among others.

AVIASPACE BREMEN e.V. - an aviation cluster

AVIASPACE BREMEN e.V. is a network and representative for manufacturers of aerospace components. It has been commissioned by the Senator for Economics, Labor and Europe to implement aerospace strategies in the federal state of Bremen. The association's challenge is to strengthen and further develop the aerospace industry together with other important sectors such as the automotive industry and wind energy.

Main topics AVIASPACE BREMEN e.V.

However, the Bremen cluster has also addressed essential topics such as the formation of networks, technology transfer and economic growth. In addition, the association promotes young entrepreneurs and start-ups by clarifying the organizational and technical networking of end producers, suppliers or services. Furthermore, it provides access and contacts to scientific institutions at the various stages of the product cycle. This also applies to the competence areas of material development, high lift, construction, manufacturing technology, earth observation and robotics.

What does b.r.m. have to do with it?

Thanks to the new "Hatten-UAS" airfield for unmanned aerial systems at Oldenburg-Hatten EDWH airfield, b.r.m. has already prepared itself for future air traffic. In the course of this, the employees Markus Rossol and Maximilian Strauß have specialized in this as UAS Consultant and Senior Aerotechnical Consultant.

Bremen-based IT service provider b.r.m. is a new member of the association and is joining the cluster strategy. Networking is an important element in the development of new tasks and innovations.

It's easy to lose track of the different types of drones. Here are the three main categories.

For drone enthusiasts, the annual AERO in Friedrichshafen is the place to go.