NEW Beyond Visual Line of Sight Drone Policy - What it means!

[@adcraziness1501]

I am just glad to see this happen. Responsible drone users should be able to extend beyond VLOS in the right situations.

[@Geeksvana]

It is a hop in the right direction...

[@khanimania]

I agree even If they limit to a range , i will be happy like 1000M or 700M using drone cameras.

[@phillipwilliams4674]

BVLOS needed for Amazon to make their automated drone deliveries, MOD to put their aerial guard dogs into place, or for power companies to carry out surveys of their pylons, but will it allow hobbyists to solo fly their FPV drones? I have my doubts.

[@Geeksvana]

The answers are in the video. But this is nothing to help Amazon, etc. Recreational BVLOS will not be something most will actually want as it will come with a lot of restrictions.

[@littlebluedinosaur]

It’s a great idea and good to see the CAA starting to make commercial use easier, however it will require ADS-B 978 UAT which isn’t even available to licence currently in the UK let alone easily incorporated into existing UAS unless you know of something available or imminent?

[@Geeksvana]

Hey! As you know, the CAA and DfT are working on the permanent ADS-B solutions (something dangerous about holding breath), but there is an option to gain an inexpensive licence via Ofcom now. Their 'Innovation and Trial Licensing' has been put forward as a working way to gain 978, etc. Although Ofcom's guidance states it is intended for trial and not commercial use, it seems an agreement has been reached in terms of AAE use. I understand the CAA will also listen to alternative EC solutions.

[@littlebluedinosaur]

@@Geeksvana thank you Sean that’s helpful, I couldn’t work out how they intended it to work without the “innovation and trial” aspect. Recently been exploring providing security solutions so this is good timing and potentially a new avenue for the business. Thanks again for the advice 🙂🦕

[@Geeksvana]

@littlebluedinosaur Send me an email, and I can send you a screen recording of the CAA briefing, if that helps. It gives more background, etc. ([e-mail]).

[@philkennedy342]

Noticed queries about sub 250g I assume operating in the open A1 category flying bvlos I always register flying on drone assist but only vlos flying such as mini mavics and similar drones what's the possibility with that... Thanks for the vlogs enjoyed them..

[@Geeksvana]

Thanks for the kind feedback!

[@Stefan_Boerjesson]

Lots of verbal facts. Will You sum it up in shorter video?

[@Geeksvana]

We have a new TLDR format launching this week, and this will be covered there. (So, yes).

[@Stefan_Boerjesson]

@@Geeksvana Thanks a lot. Did look into how to exist higher then 120 meters. A ton of papers with unbelievable unknown questions to fill in. No surprise some guys use "keep silent and fly".....

[@Geeksvana]

@Stefan_Boerjesson yes! Expensive process too!

[@Stefan_Boerjesson]

@@Geeksvana Yes. Some 2000 GBP here...

[@Rooonga]

So this only affects professional drone pilots & nothing to do with the vast majority of fliers, who do it for fun? (Other than telling us to keep out of your way?)

[@Geeksvana]

Currently only benefits pretty specific operations. However, the benefit of this approach is zero restrictions on anyone else. So, no keeping out of anyone's way!

[@user-lb8eh3oc5q]

Precisely, this will only benefit corporations and the like. Whats more; as more corporations etc start to use (and PAY large sums for using) lower airspace it will eventually (through regulation) force recreational (eg non or minimal paying individuals) out of that airspace. The writing is on the wall......... mark my words!

[@Geeksvana]

@user-lb8eh3oc5q that is just about as useless and sensationalist as a comment can get. There is zero evidence of what you are suggesting. In fact, the opposite with government stressing the importance of keeping airspace open. Did they stop hobby GA when passenger jets became a thing? There is enough sky for us all. The real threat to the hobby is people taking it upon themselves to just ignore the rules and fly how they want to. The amount of just idiotic flights posted on social media every day is enough to close the hobby if they wanted to. So I wouldn't worry about the corporates coming for the airspace and be far more concerned about our fellow drone pilots.

[@user-lb8eh3oc5q]

@@Geeksvana Time will tell …… money will do the talking (just like it does in most things)! Your faith in government surprises me ….. it’s not like they don’t have a history of doing U turns. It’s easy to say there’s no evidence and I agree there isn’t any “today”…… let’s see if the government are still singing off the same hymn sheet in say 5 years time?

[@gimbalair]

@@user-lb8eh3oc5q 🤡

[@DroningVision]

Any news coming soon on the regulations changing in 2026? Not heard anything since last year and the consultation

[@Geeksvana]

Hey! I have an update coming on that early next week.

[@darrenbauckham1023]

Could flying guard dogs potentially give land owners permission to own the air space no fly zone.

[@bobswift-Stuff]

I was wondering, if the police want to take my drone can I keep the memory card for my defence purposes? It’s hypothetical BTW 👍🏼

[@andrewmaudsley7692]

i am still waiting for the rules to match up to what FPV people have been doing for many many years, we just want to have fun and we do think about real risk and managed it, the spotter rules is really a joke, they cannot see it, we fly fast and low, you do not know its orientation just by looking it it, just pleases give us rules we can hand on heart follow to the rules, a simple mark on a app that you are flying within a aeara and the app has contact details

[@El_Smeghead]

Is Graham going to a fancy dress party after the show as Sacajawea from Night at the Museum? 😂

[@Geeksvana]

He rides his bike wearing that 🤣🤪

[@El_Smeghead]

@@Geeksvana Surely that's a road safety issue 🤔 How would you be able to tell when the lights change with the sun bouncing off that!

[@Feverstockphoto]

So will the 'Typical' Joe Blogs ever get to use their drone with BVLOS without any begging letters/application forms for recreational purposes in public, or will humans have evolved into AI cyborgs before that day happens?

[@Geeksvana]

In terms of the open category, it will be years if at all. We would need a complete UTM system that provides deconfliction without input from the pilot. The dangers of uncontrolled BVLOS flight remain, and without a way of dealing with that, it won't happen.

[@pdtech4524]

Unless you're a corporate entity paying huge sums of cash for the task of delivering a cup of coffee by drone, forget it. Best thing you can hope for is flying your Neo behind a bush or have it track you from behind and therefore flying BVLOS....😮😳😁

[@Feverstockphoto]

@@Geeksvana Yeah there would need to be a few more things in place and some technology improvements 👍

[@Feverstockphoto]

@@pdtech4524 The chat was on it 🙂👍

[@amwphotos]

Is this the CAA opening things up or just trying to pacify some use cases because theyre backed into a corner and their guidance would have been challenged as being unreasonable?

[@mrbluesky9891]

Well that's clear then!

[@Geeksvana]

This was the non-technical version 🤣

[@anthonygage4700]

Only a matter of time before they are banned as potential wepons.

[@Geeksvana]

I disagree. Flying RC has been around since before the last world war as a hobby, and I expect it to stay. Sadly, anything can be a weapon, (even a van can be a terror weapon), and banning it does not prevent bad things from happening.

[@anthonygage4700]

I hope your right! I just visualise the government seeing the weponisation in Ukraine and decide to ban the general public or put in draconian controls, like they have with firearms. Criminals don't obey the law, but politicians knees have a bad habit of perking.

[@LeoH3L1]

@@anthonygage4700 The Drones themselves are not the weapon, it's the grenades they're dropping that are, which are already illegal, so realistically it probably won't happen.

[@steve-and-drones]

i aways fly VLOS i don't want to lose my drone LOL

[@Geeksvana]

I feel that!!

[@kenstevens7064]

Is it Graham or jeffery from rainbow lol

[@Geeksvana]

The theme did have lyrics discussing 'up above the streets' or similar. So he could well be. Graham is certainly welcome colour in life 😂.

[@fcava-ti7mb]

Very long complicated video! Can we please have bullet points highlighting who's affected by this, professionals or hobbyists?

[@Geeksvana]

I usually try to keep the main information at the start of shows, so people can watch a few minutes and get the basic information. That isn't possible for some topics. Although we do cover most of the points with the first 10 mins. This is not a policy to help hobbyists fly BVLOS. In fact, it only helps some of the industry. It does, however, start the process of a future where more people can fly BVLOS because of the way it is set up. Sadly, I would not expect there to be a hobby version for many years, if at all. We would need working UTM, etc, and that doesn't look likely soon.

[@ericwalton957]

I thought that was a new category ... Specific category not specified. Makes as much sense as the rest of the nonsense.

[@Geeksvana]

Hey! Yes, this is in the Specific Category, so not the Certified as some expected.

[@manifold1476]

I'm not blurry - - - You're blurry.

[@JonAtLarge]

So no change for the majority and therefore irrelavant, big corporation wins again, screw the hobbyist! It's high time common sense was applied and that's the bench mark. If you fly like a tw%t and get caught expect serious coneuqences, for the majority who fly sensibly and use common sense, in open areas, VLOS is completely pointless!

[@Geeksvana]

The main problem we have to solve is mid-air collision with other airspace users and people/buildings on the ground. As drone users, we share the airspace, etc, with many others. This type of advancement will only be used by a few companies, but it starts to show official data of BVLOS being safe. It also begins to put the processes in place for wider use in the future. One day, once this work is done and they expand UTM use etc, many more can fly BVLOS. Otherwise, it would cost the average hobbyist huge amounts of money to make it happen sooner.

[@JonAtLarge]

@@Geeksvana I would include such instances in my "if you fly like a tw%t...", in built up areas, over people or indeed higher than 120m, which is more than enough for drones, then you come under that category. There is enough open space in the UK such as our national parks, out of town coastal areas etc, where there is zero chance of any victims.