Drone Regulations

7. Is the applicable regulation considering the rule of 1 UAS = 1 pilot?

Bahamas

Yes, CAR OPS at 4.201 (g) provides that the RPAS operator shall designate and authorize one remote pilot to act as remote pilot-in-command (“PIC”). However, it also provides that the RPAS operator if approved may establish appropriate policies and procedures in the Operations Manual to allow a pilot to transfer PIC responsibilities to another. However, even in this instance, only one remote pilot may hold remote PIC responsibility at any given time. Further, at 4.204 (a) the CAR OPS 4 provides that a remote PIC shall have responsibility over one aircraft only at a given time.

Bolivia

Yes, an absolute prohibition prevents one pilot to operate more than one UAS simultaneously.

Brazil

A VANT should have a registered remote pilot who is direct liable for its operation. All pilots must have more than 18 years old. Pilots from Classes 1 and 2 must have a valid aeronautical medical certificate (CMA) and be licensed by ANAC. All remote pilots operating over 400 feet above ground level (AGL) or who operates RPAS in classes 1 or 2 should have license issued by ANAC. ANAC will establishes the appropriate license for each type of operation. There is no specific pilot requirement to UAS operating below 400 feet.

Canada

Yes

Colombia

Regulation established that a pilot only can operate one UAS at the time but one UAS could be operated by more than one person.

There is also an exception: in Class B UAEAC could approve swarm operation.

Costa Rica

There is not an express regulation on this matter.

El Salvador

The RAC-VANT only makes a reference to “one pilot”, however AAC may issue a permit under certain conditions.

Germany

Generally, the new German provisions imply that one UAS is being flown by one pilot. However, in case of a UAS weighing more than 0.25 kg the pilot should be supported by a second person in order to fulfill the requirements of visual line of sight.

Guatemala

There is not an express regulation on this matter.

India

The CAR provides that no person can act as a remote pilot for more than one UAS operation at a time. If two or more persons are available as remote pilots for a flight, at any given moment, there can be only one person acting as a remote pilot-in-command.

Regulation of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (“UAS”) operations –licensing

Israel

AIP B-9, which is published by the CAAI and includes specific rules for the operation of UAS, prohibits the simultaneous operation of more than one UAS by the same operator from the same remote pilot station, without permission from the Director of the CAAI. In addition, according to Section 19 of the Draft Regulations (Small Drones) and Section 18 of the Draft Regulations (RCMA), the simultaneous operation of more than one drone or model aircraft is forbidden. This rule applies both to the UAS pilot, “watcher/observer” and the “flight-commander” – a person appointed by the owner of the UAS to serve as the direct responsible and professional authority regarding the operation of the UAS.

 

Italy

Generally speaking yes, but it must be noted that in the event of flight in extended visual line of sight (EVLOS) – being such operations carried out at a distance exceeding the limits of the VLOS operations – the command and control of the UAS must be transferred to another pilot at the time the UAS is no longer in the visual line of sight of the first pilot. Therefore, for EVLOS operations the UAS is generally under the command and control of more than one pilot.

Kenya

The CAA does not apply the 1 UAS to 1 pilot rule. The Draft Regulations also do not limit a UAS to one pilot. However, the Draft Regulations require that the pilot in command of a UAS and the co-pilot must be holders of a remote pilot licence issued by the KCAA. In addition, the Draft Regulations prohibit any person from operating a UAS in a category of operation other than the category for which the person has been authorized to operate.[13]  UAS pilots in Kenya are assisted in the safe conduct of UAS by RPA observers. An RPA observer is defined in the Rules of the Air Regulations and the Draft Regulations as “a trained and competent person designated by the operator who, by visual observation of the remote piloted aircraft, assists the remote pilot in the safe conduct of the flight”.

[13] Regulation 13 of the Draft Civil Aviation (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) Regulations,2019

Mexico

Yes. These mandatory rules “CO AV23/10 R4” establish 1 (one) pilot per RPA; however, crew per RPA is also considered for other operation-related aspects of RPAS.

Nicaragua

The Regulation does not make any reference to pilots.

Norway

No

Pakistan

We are not aware of any such consideration under the applicable laws of Pakistan.

Panama

The Regulation considers the RPAS’ pilot as responsible for the safe operation of the RPAS during his flight so we may consider the rule 1 RPA = 1 pilot as the applicable one.

Philippines

No such rule is provided in the PCAR.  However, for commercial operations, the PCAR provides for the following: a) RPA must nominate suitable persons as chief RPA controller and maintenance controller; b) two or more persons cannot be certified jointly as an RPA operator [11.11.6.5]; c) If the RPA operator operates more than one RPA, the chief RPA controller must carry out the duties and functions as such on a full-time basis.   

Portugal

The rule of 1 UAS = 1 pilot is expressly applicable in all VLOS flights. Since nothing is said in respect to BVLOS flights, by exclusion it would appear that the said rule is not applicable.

Puerto Rico

FAA regulations apply.

Romania

There is no reference to this rule in the national legislation.

South Africa

No. A person or organization may hold ROCs for multiple UAS and therefore there is a possibility that there may be multiple pilots for 1 UAS.

Spain

In the past RD 1036/2017, it was established that the pilot was not entitled to perform a flight with more than one aircraft at the same moment.

By contrast, EU Regulation 2019/947 provides that the UAS operator must ensure that a pilot must always be in charge of each operation of UAS (even if this is an autonomous operation); however it is not expressly specified that one pilot cannot manage or be in charge more than one autonomous aircraft at the same time. Therefore, each authorisation filed to AESA will need to be analysed case by case in order to consider the risks posed in the operation (for example) carried out by a swarm of UAS in a densely populated area. As the state of UAS technology improves, it is possible that AESA will request to apply the 1 UA = 1 pilot rule until the technical or safety standards allow to carry out this operation without risks, probably with the development of a Standard Scenario or after the implementation of the U-Space.

Switzerland

Yes, the ‘one drone, one pilot’ rule is inherent in the VLOS requirement However, the FOCA may issue a special permit to exempt an operation from this requirement, if other users of the air space and people on the ground are not endangered and certain safety prerequisites are met (see Questions 6 above and 8 below).

However, as of June 2020, the rules as per the New EU Drone Regulations will apply (see Miscellaneous and Most Recent Changes below).

Regulation of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (“UAS”) operations – licensing

Turkey

Directive is considering the rule of 1 UAS = 1 pilot rule only for individual UAS operators. On the other hand there is no 1 UAS = 1 pilot prohibition for commercial UAS operating entities.

United Kingdom

United States of America

With respect to small UAS, Part 107 provides that “[a] person may not operate or act as a remote pilot in command or visual observer in the operation of more than one unmanned aircraft at the same time.” However, UAS operators may obtain a waiver of this requirement. Additionally, an operator’s Section 333 exemption could potentially allow an operator to operate more than one UAS at a time.