Safety is the top priority in aviation - whether manned or unmanned. With the Annual Safety Report 2024, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has now presented the results for the calendar year 2023, dedicating a separate chapter to UAS for the first time. It lists a total of 12 incidents in which Unmanned Aircraft Systems were involved in safety-relevant incidents on the territory of an EASA member state. In addition to commercially used drones, the statistics also explicitly include drones and model aircraft used for recreational purposes.
According to EASA, people on the ground were involved in two of the incidents listed, both of which took place at model airfields. Manned aircraft were also involved in two of the recorded incidents. These were so-called Airprox (Aircraft Proximity Hazard) incidents, in which UAS were sighted in the vicinity of aircraft taking off or landing.
The inclusion of a separate chapter for UAS in EASA's Annual Safety Report is a further step towards the integration of drones into general airspace and the establishment of unmanned systems as the mode of transport of the future. UAV DACH will continue to work consistently in constructive dialog with industry, associations and regulatory authorities to help ensure the safe operation of UAS in an integrated airspace. For example, through further digitalization of airspace coordination and a digital signature for all aircraft, as envisaged in the EU Commission's drone strategy.
You can read more about EASA's Annual Safety Report 2024 here: https://www.bit.ly/EASA-ASR_24