Safety in flight operations is the top priority for the drone economy. Companies that use drones commercially therefore rely on comprehensive training and qualification measures for employees as well as detailed operating concepts, which may form the basis for official flight authorisations. Nevertheless, drone sightings in the immediate vicinity of commercial airports are causing disruption to air traffic all over the world. Ever since London Gatwick Airport had to be closed for a total of 33 hours in December 2018, there have been discussions around the world about how to adequately secure airports - and in many cases, action has been taken accordingly.
However, the introduction of detection and defence systems is stalling in Germany, as the ARD magazine REPORT Mainz recently reported. Although extensive tests were carried out in 2020 under the direction of DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung, little has happened since then. And now the project has apparently come to a complete standstill. "The work of DFS to fulfil the directive on the systematic detection of unmanned aerial vehicles near airports has been halted due to the pending clarification of the project's funding. An interministerial working group of the BMDV and the BMI is still working on clarifying who should bear the costs for a coordinated overall system that includes detection and defence." This is stated in the annual report of DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung for 2023.
Powerful detection and defence systems are available on the market for effective protection against uncooperative drones - among others, member companies of the Association for Unmanned Aviation offer corresponding solutions and concepts. They just need to be utilised. This is the case at numerous airports and at major events all over the world. The federal and state governments are called upon to quickly clarify open questions of competence and financing. However, in view of the current government crisis in Germany, it is more than questionable whether this can happen quickly.
However, a further debate about the dangers to air traffic that could emanate from unmanned systems does not help anyone at this point and distracts from the actual tasks. A tightening of the European legal framework for drone operations is also neither necessary nor expedient.
Long-term safety in airspace and at airports is achieved through integrative and equal co-operation between all airspace participants. If manned and unmanned aircraft can recognise each other and take (automated) evasive action if necessary, acceptance and trust will grow on all sides. The European Commission's drone strategy provides for the comprehensive digitalisation of airspace coordination and a digital signature for all aircraft. The drone industry expressly supports this approach, as mandatory electronic visibility enables early warnings of approaching aircraft and better coordination in an increasingly crowded airspace.