Drone Regulations
22. Do specific rules regulate the maintenance of UAS?
Bahamas
Yes, Chapter 8 of CAR OPS 4 provides specific rules which regulate the maintenance of RPAs.
Bolivia
Maintenance must be performed as per the manufacturer’s specifications. Pre-flight inspections must be performed (battery levels, visual inspections for damages in the hull) Inspect there is no evidence of radio interference that may affect the flight.
Brazil
Yes. The same Brazilian regulation RBAC-E 94 stablishes all requirements for maintenance registration of a UAS. Maintenance should follow the specifications and instructions of UAS manufacturer.
Canada
The operator must ensure the safe operation of the UAS and that the airworthiness requirements of the manufacturer have been complied with.
Colombia
In general regulation demands the owner and operator know all that is related with the operation, producer instructions, which includes the maintenance of UAS, and UAS functionality. Beside for Class B UAS regulation stablished some specific requirements for the maintenance which are shown below:
- Any person who performs maintenance on a UAS or any of its components the methods, techniques and practices described in the manufacturer or manufacturer’s manuals or any other technical document updated by these.
- The replacement materials or parts shall be those prescribed or accepted by the manufacturer or UAS builder
- Parts should not be used or work performed that involves design alteration original of the device, especially in the case of structural variations, changes in the weight that affect the center of gravity or flight characteristics unless have express approval of the manufacturer or builder, or the UAEAC when it is of scientific research, development or innovation projects.
- Maintenance work must be carried out by qualified persons who know the manufacturer’s manuals.
- The operator must document maintenance work on its UAS and keep a historical record of them, including the information of the people who executed the maintenance.
Costa Rica
According to article 7 of the Operational Directive, the owner or operator must establish in the Operational Manual the procedures for RPAS maintenance. RPAS cannot be operated if they are not inspected or maintained according to the Manual, which requires DGAC approval. Also, the owner or operator must have a record of the maintenances with details of the parts that are changed and the software updates.
El Salvador
Yes, according to Article 3.025 of the RAC-VANT there must be a preventive and corrective maintenance, to assure the UAS’ airworthiness and to prevent accidents. The maintenance must follow the manufacturer’s dispositions in the way and frequency established.
Germany
N/A.
Guatemala
No
India
There are no specific rules to regulate the maintenance of UAS but the CAR provides that maintenance and repair of UAS shall be carried out in accordance with the manufacturer’s approved procedures in authorised service centres of the manufacturer/ OEM or remote pilot/ operator. Further, the maintenance of the ground control equipment must be carried out in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommended inspection and overhaul interval. Also, the remote pilot/user shall not fly the UAS unless he/she is reasonably satisfied that all the control systems of UAS including the radio and command & control link are in working condition before the flight. The UAOP holder is also required to maintain records of each UAS flight and make such records available to the DGCA on demand.
Operation Zones
Israel
To the best of our knowledge, there are no specific rules regulating the maintenance of UAS. However, a prerequisite for the issuance of a Certificate of Airworthiness for an aircraft (which includes certain UAS as explained above), is the existence of a flight and maintenance logbook or other appropriate record, detailing the maintenance requirements for the specific aircraft, including the inspection operations that need to be performed, as well as any other information deemed necessary to ensure and maintain its continued airworthiness.
Italy
UAS operators must establish an appropriate maintenance programme to ensure the continuing airworthiness of the system on the basis of the relevant manufacturer’s instructions. In addition, operators must set up a data recording system with respect to flight hours, safety-related events, maintenance activities and replacement of components. Ordinary maintenance must be carried out by the operator upon the attendance of a specific maintenance course held by the manufacturer or by other organizations approved by the manufacturer.
Manufacturers (and related organizations) are authorised to perform maintenance on UAS belonging to their own production, including heavy and extraordinary maintenance.
Kenya
The Draft Regulations requires an operator of a commercial operations UAS to be issued with a Remote Aircraft Operators Certificate (ROC), the operator must among other things demonstrate that it has in place maintenance arrangements consistent with the nature and extent of the operations specified and commensurate with the size, structure and complexity of the organization[25] before being issued with a ROC.
The Draft Regulations also require that a UAS owner or operator to ensure that all UAS components are in working order and in accordance with the manufactures user manual.[26]
[25] Regulation 14(3) of the Draft Civil Aviation (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) Regulations,2019
[26] Regulation 12 of the Draft Civil Aviation (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) Regulations,2019
Mexico
No
Nicaragua
There is not an express regulation on this matter.
Norway
The UAS Regulations contain provisions on the maintenance of UAS.
Pakistan
Yes, the ANO regulates the maintenance of the URCSUAs. It states that “operators”, which term is defined to mean “a person, organization or enterprise engaged in, or offering to engage in URCSUA operations and having management of URCSUA”, can maintain the URCSUA and its associated engines in accordance with the manner prescribed by the manufacturer of the URCSUA after seeking an approval from the CAA. The Operators are required to provide the following documentations to the Airworthiness Directorate for their approval:
- Company Exposition Manual.
- Qualification for CAA approved position of Chief Engineer
- Maintenance Schedule.
- Illustrated parts catalogue, wiring diagram manual/structural repair manual as applicable.
- Source of receipt of modification from manufacturers and Airworthiness Directive, service bulletins or service letters etc, from regulatory body of country of manufacturer as applicable.
If a person does not hold the approval mentioned above, he cannot carry out maintenance of URCSUA or its component or material. It is important to note that any person responsible for the maintenance of the URCSUA is subject to compliance of any requirements that may be prescribed by the CAA for the maintenance of the URCSUA.
Panama
There are no specific rules that regulate the maintenance of UAS.
Philippines
Presently, the PCAR does not provide for special rules that regulate the maintenance of UAS.
Portugal
N/A.
Puerto Rico
Yes, FAA regulations apply. Advisory Circular 107-2, 6/21/16, Chapter 7.
Romania
No. The general rule is that the national flight permit for a UAS may be obtained only if the owner/ operator demonstrates that the UAS was designed and manufactured accordingly and that it respects the requirements for safe operation. Also, the owner/ operator has the obligation to keep the record of the maintenance and operation registrations, the changes performed on the UAS, a copy of the technical file sent to RCAA.
South Africa
Yes. The CARs provide that a UAS must be compliant with the manufacturer’s instructions for continued equipment maintenance through actions or inspections. A UAS owner must submit a maintenance programme for the UAS to the Director for approval.
Spain
UAS Operators are obliged to establish a maintenance program so that the UAS functions properly and safely.
The maintenance requirements will differ depending on the category of the operation.
In “OPEN” category operations, UAS operator will perform maintenance of the aircraft adjusted to the recommendations in the manufacturer’s manual.
In “SPECIFIC” category operations, UAS maintenance will be carried out by the operator following the instructions from the duly qualified maintenance personnel or department (within the organisation of the operator or out of it), for these purposes, UAS operator will need to:
- Develop the instructions for the maintenance procedures and include them in the Operators Manual.
- Describe the minimum qualifications and requirements of the personnel dedicated to the maintenance tasks of UAS and keep the list of said personnel.
- Keep an updated log system of the status of the UAS and the maintenance inspections, events and findings (of at least the las 3 years).
AESA has published on its website a set of guiding materials and acceptable means of compliance with the reviews and tests to be carried out in a drone operator’s maintenance program, which provides the minimum necessary revisions and tests to be carried out on the UAS.
Switzerland
This is currently not the case, but as of June 2020, the New EU Drone Regulations will apply (see Miscellaneous and Most Recent Changes below).
Operation Zones
Turkey
Yes, the maintenance of UAS must be performed in line with Article 7 of the Directive and according to the manuals published by the manufacturers and maintenance responsibility lies with the UAS pilot.
United Kingdom
No.
United States of America
Part 107 requires the remote pilot in command to ensure that the UAS is in a safe operating condition without setting forth specific maintenance requirements.
UAS operated exclusively within the Special Rule for Model Aircraft may be subject to maintenance or inspection requirements under the community-based safety guidelines.
For large UAS, the Section 333 exemption will detail maintenance and inspection requirements.