AAIB Report on UK Police Accident

[electrotor]

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5fd8ce1dd3bf7f40d2f0a645/Aeryon_SkyRanger_R60_registration_na_01-21.pdf

To me the most important paragraph of the whole report states :

CAA requirements currently allow a person with no previous experience to gain a commercial UAS pilot's qualification in a relatively short period of time, often in less than a week. The high level of automation available also makes many UAS relatively easy to operate. These points have the benefit of making this important area of aviation more widely available. They however also present the potential for people operating UAS to do so without the benefit of the experience gained over the longer and more extensive training required for more traditional routes into manned aviation. Recent AAIB investigations reveal a lack of understanding by some UAS pilots of fundamental operational factors such as weather limitations and the handling of aircraft warnings and failures.

Please, no gloating because the pilot had his commercial licence and was a police officer. People make mistakes.

[FPVSteve]

Recent AAIB investigations reveal a lack of understanding by some UAS pilots of fundamental operational factors such as weather limitations and the handling of aircraft warnings and failures.

This makes me wonder if there is in fact an "easy pass" culture amongst the UAV training community? Surely these types of issues are covered in the coursework and exams that people are taking? The entire aim of such courses is to ensure that an operator is capable of using the aircraft correctly - so I'm not sure, having passed the exam, the operators can claim ignorance of bad weather effects or aircraft control issues.

Has anyone got any data on the pass/fail ratio of candidates?

[BigT]

Not specifically but having contacted several authorised providers for the A2 CofC, course and test fees vary between £95 and £195. Most are distance learning modules with the exam being taken via video link and adjudicated via video link to illuminate cheating as the test is closed book multi choice. The A2 CofC has a self declaration of flying competency relying on the candidate to self declare they have flown the "drone" for the required period and carried out practical risk assessment.  These are not checked. Various companies offer a free retest within a certain period. So very little emphasis on proving actual LOS or FPV flying skills.

As a current BMFA club examiner of some years I am positive that the training and flying standards and skills required to pass the current achievement  certificates for Quads, Rotary and Fixed wing are greater than the CofC. And the standards required for the B level are far in excess. Plus the new BMFA Registration Competency Certificate, whilst being open book, is proving an eye opener for those that think they know the law, is free and lasts for 5 years.