Use of Drones in forestry

The potential safety benefits of using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), or Drones, in forest situations are multiple. Avoiding hazardous ground conditions resulting in trips slips and falls, avoiding potential eye injuries from branches and perhaps most significantly avoid attempting to enter windthrown or unstable timber crops. There is, however, a need consider your own safety and that of others while flying, not to interfere with wildlife such as breeding raptors and to follow the landowners’ requirements or regulations.

A reminder that on 31st December 2020, new regulations governing the use of drones came into force in the UK and across Europe. These new regulations apply whether you fly just for fun or you fly for commercial gain.

The regulations are substantially different from the previous regulations. The key changes are:

• There is no longer any distinction whatsoever between commercial and recreational flying.
• There are three categories of operation, Open, Specific and Certified. The two of most direct interest to most users are “Open and Specific”.

However competency requirements for drone flying is a fairly complex issue. The authority on the subject is the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the link below is their website page on the subject.