Category 1 responders

[mark1975]

Think it was more of maintaining the distance fromantic people buildings and structures, that was half the battle I was facing ..

[IWCoburg]

The distance issue is related to the type of incidents, and how the definition of what the pilot has control over. A fire ground is an are closed to the public so the pilot has interaction with the people  do could be classed as control in a specific way.  Coastal and open country side search etc when spotting is easier, but now you can have an airspace issue, so that is a different set of issues to be resolved.

Mike.

[stevec]

what follows is a bit of a brain dump so it isn't very coherent!

there should only really be airspace limitations for over 7kg.
if you are under 7 then you don't even need to notify ATC even if you are flying right next to the runway at Gatwick. certainly as a PFCO holder I don't have to speak to them.

(please note this is from a commercial perspective)

what you could do is write an ops manual that has lots of machines outlines with their specs. this could be contributed to by the individual pilots.
this is what I have done as I run a team of 12 pilots who all fly different machines.

The ops manual would need to have an appendix that is edited to stay up to date with current pilots and airframes they use. list their qualification, BMFA A cert is sufficient.
the FPV uk insurance could have some kind of small print that says you are covered if "working" as a first responder.

then you cover both bases. the flight profiles for a SAR mission and Fire are completely different but I don't see why it should be hard. VLOS would be a biggie though, it would almost be easier to use quads and automate the search grid in drone deploy, then move to the next area, all the while keeping the craft in sight.

I loved the sound of airbears but didn't apply as they are US centric.
I have offered my Services to Sussex SAR but they said they just use the police helicopter. I was invited to go to one of their meetings but I never got around to it.

one problem I do see is that a lot of things happen when it is dark. flying at night with a PFCO requires a night rating and part of the night ops sign off would be a pre dark site survey. this could probably be worked around if you are on the moors but in a town it could present a problem.

it sounds like you have done some great work so far, we need something like this to elevate the perception of "drones" in the UK.

I tried a thermal camera out on an inspire the other week, it was so cool, and would be perfect for SAR applications. unfortunately it wasn't seen as useful for our application so we didn't get one.

/Steve

[IWCoburg]

Steve, thsnks for the input and what you have laid out is what I was figuring we would need to have.

What I am looking at is you have a ground of people with local knowledge of the terrain and locations. Then if your working for fire, then this is most likely a multicopter job, where the volunteer pilot just does the flying, predominately by LOS, but also with video reference. The fire service can then have their observer looking at the live feed which may also be streamed to the bronze control, and the pilot selects to record stills or video as required.  For search operations a wing I feel is a better bet, but withe the LOS observer, I want to get an permission based on having multiple observers, which are in radio contact with the pilot, and spread out, as they would be in a real incident. Then when the casualty is located the nearest team are ready to deploy. This could be an area of several miles, so a single LOS observer won't work unless the vision is assisted.

The need for a local ops manual will be essential, and I see a sharing of local ones on a national basis, with the organisation so a common recognised standard is maintained.

Mike.

Mike.

[BlueFlyer]

Mike, you actually make a very good point here regarding multiple observers. Does the ANO or the exemption state that the competent observer MUST be located in the immediate vicinity of the pilot?

Also, there's nothing stopping the fixed wing FPV pilot and the spotter being set up in the back of a landrover or a pickup that's able to stay within LOS of the aircraft.

[IWCoburg]

This is why there is a need for an operations handbook do everyone operated in the same controlled way, with a valid risk assessment for the flight with fail safe conditions built is such as hand offs between the OP observers completed before the UAV leaves the existing observers coverage area. That is the way I feel it will have to go to be able to demonstrate a "professional" operation that can be trusted by the user service.

Mike.

[IWCoburg]

Just another point on the handbook. These have a commercial value as the contents have intellectual value and as such should be protected. My plan is that right would belong to the organisation, and not the individual, and can only be used by the organisation and it's membership for the prescribed uses.

Mike

PS. If anyone has a suggestion as to what to call the organisation, that would be very useful. Ideally something meaning full and memorable with a UK bias.

[stevec]

the mode of operation you describe is called E-VLOS extended visual line of sight.
usually they don't grant it until the company has held PFCO for a year.

PFCO is what they call PFAW now.

you could just write it into your ops manual and see what happens, you will need to detail the methods of comms between you and the spotters along the route.

E vlos only takes you so far though. you couldn't have a string of spotters for miles on end as far as I can tell.

[wgt40w]

PS. If anyone has a suggestion as to what to call the organisation, that would be very useful. Ideally something meaning full and memorable with a UK bias.

Internationally recognisable group name   -    MayDayUK; MayDayUSA, etc.

[IWCoburg]

Unmanned Aero-modelling Volunteers

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[BlueFlyer]

Dial-a-Drone UK

[drambuidhe]

I look out over the Atlantic from my home here in Scotland and often fly from my house where obviously all my kit is kept.
Over the last few years there have been MANY occasions where I could have been of use by providing a useful eye in the sky !
Mostly these have been marine issues such as people adrift at sea without means of communication with problems such as broken down engines , rigging failures, lost oars , capsized kayaks etc-etc.
Another example was ashore , when an elderly farmer with Alziemers went awol in the hills.
If a person is reported as late or missing within 10kms of my home , I could be airborne  within minutes (weather permitting) and may JUST be able to help save a life!
It seems a "no brainer" that us guy's could and should be able to help put our hobby to great use with the present strict rulings being relaxed at appropriate times.
Good luck with this project , I'll be keeping my fingers X that something positive emerges from all these ideas :) :)

[krikey]

Whilst not a drone, this solution may be useful to consider:

http://www.owls-surveillance.com/

A friend of mine set this company up mainly for the Oil Spill response business, but it can be used for other things too. Its essentially a  tethered balloon but requires less piloting skill I believe.