Jan 13, 2025
AirHub Knowledge Series: The Definitions of EASA Drone Regulations (2019/947)
As the use of drones continues to expand across industries, navigating the regulatory landscape becomes crucial for operators, manufacturers, and policymakers alike. To address this growing demand, the European Union introduced comprehensive regulations aimed at ensuring safety, security, and efficiency in Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) operations.
The EASA Regulation 2019/947 establishes the operational framework for drone operations within the EU, while Regulation 2019/945 focuses on the technical requirements for UAS and their manufacturers. Together, these regulations create a balanced approach to managing operational risks and ensuring technological compliance. Complementing these foundational rules are the U-space regulations (2021/664-666), which provide guidelines for integrating UAS into manned airspace through advanced traffic management and communication systems.
Understanding the terminology and interplay of these regulations is essential for stakeholders, from operators to policymakers, as they work to align with the evolving landscape of drone integration. This blog provides a comprehensive overview of key definitions from these regulations, grouped for better clarity and understanding.
Technical Definitions
These terms describe the core systems and services that underpin UAS operations:
Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS): A combination of an unmanned aircraft and its control and monitoring unit.
External Systems: Systems supporting UAS operations but not part of the UAS itself, such as GNSS or air traffic management tools. These systems assist with tasks like launching, pre-flight checks, and maintaining operational volume.
External Service: Services provided to the UAS operator, such as training, communication support for the C2 link, navigation, or flight planning services.
Ground Control Station (Command Unit): Equipment used to remotely control the UAS, enabling monitoring and intervention during flight. Also known as the Control and Monitoring Unit (CMU).
C2 Link: The data link between the unmanned aircraft and the command unit for managing the flight.
C3 Link: An extension of the C2 link that includes communication links necessary for safe operation.
Payload: Equipment or instruments carried by the UAS that are not part of its core systems. This may include sensors, cameras, or other devices installed for specific missions.
Geo-Awareness: A function that detects potential breaches of airspace limitations and alerts the remote pilot to prevent them.
Remote ID: A system enabling the identification of a UAS during operations by broadcasting information such as the operator’s details and flight location, ensuring accountability and airspace safety.
Direct Remote Identification: A local broadcast system providing information about a UAS in operation, accessible without physical interaction with the aircraft.
Maximum Take-Off Mass (MTOM): The maximum Unmanned Aircraft mass, including payload and fuel, as defined by the manufacturer or the builder, at which the Unmanned Aircraft can be operated.
Operational Volume for UAS operations
Operational Volume: The combination of the flight geography and the contingency volume.
Flight Geography: The volume(s) of airspace defined spatially and temporally in which the UAS operator plans to conduct the operation under normal procedures.
Flight Geography Area: The projection of the flight geography on the surface of the earth.
Contingency Volume: The volume of airspace outside the flight geography where contingency (i.e. abnormal) procedures are applied.
Contingency Area: The projection of the contingency volume on the surface of the earth.
Ground Risk Buffer: An area over the surface of the earth, which surrounds the operational volume and is specified to minimise the risk to third parties on the surface in the event of the unmanned aircraft leaving the operational volume.
Stakeholders in UAS Operations
This group encompasses the individuals and organizations responsible for operating, monitoring, and regulating UAS operations:
UAS Operator: Any legal or natural person operating or intending to operate one or more UAS.
Remote Pilot: The individual directly responsible for flying the UAS.
Unmanned Aircraft Observer: A person assisting the remote pilot by visually observing the aircraft to ensure safe operations.
Airspace Observer: A person responsible for visually scanning the airspace to detect potential hazards during UAS operations.
Payload Operator: A person managing the equipment or instruments carried by the UAS that are not part of its core systems.
UAS Manufacturer: The entity responsible for designing and producing UAS and ensuring compliance with technical standards.
CAA/NAA (Civil Aviation Authority/National Aviation Authority): Regulatory bodies overseeing UAS operations and ensuring compliance with aviation laws.
ANSP (Air Navigation Service Provider): Organizations providing air traffic management and other services to ensure safe airspace operations.
U-Space Service Provider (USSP): Entities providing services to enable safe and efficient UAS operations within the U-Space framework (i.e. within U-space Airspace).
Operational Categories
EASA regulations classify various categories of operations to address varying levels of risk:
Open Category: Operations with minimal risk that do not require prior authorization or declarations. Subcategories include A1 (flying close to people), A2 (flying near people with certain conditions), and A3 (far from people and buildings).
Specific Category: Medium-risk operations requiring a risk assessment and authorization by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) before commencement. These operations may include BVLOS flights or operations in controlled airspace.
Standard Scenario: A type of UAS operation in the Specific category, for which a precise list of mitigating measures has been identified, allowing competent authorities to accept declarations from operators committing to apply these measures.
Pre-Defined Risk Assessment (PDRA): A structured and predefined method for assessing risks in specific UAS operations within the Specific category, ensuring operators meet regulatory requirements.
Certified Category: High-risk operations that require comprehensive certification of the UAS, the operator, and the remote pilot. These operations are comparable to traditional manned aviation activities, such as transporting people or dangerous goods.
Additional Definitions and Concepts
Robustness: The property of mitigation measures resulting from combining the safety gain provided by the mitigation measures and the level of assurance and integrity that the safety gain has been achieved.
Concept of Operations (ConOps): A high-level description of the intended UAS operation, detailing the operational objectives, procedures, environments, and constraints. It serves as a foundational document for planning and executing safe and compliant UAS operations.
Ground Risk Class: The intrinsic UAS ground risk relating to the probability of a person being struck by the UAS in the event of a loss of control.
Air Risk Class (ARC): A qualitative classification of the rate at which a UAS would encounter a manned aircraft in typical generalized civil airspace.
Strategic Mitigations: Risk mitigations applied before an operation to reduce the likelihood of encountering hazardous conditions, such as planning and airspace deconfliction.
Tactical Mitigation Performance Requirements (TMPR): Measures applied during the operation to address risks as they arise, ensuring safety in dynamic conditions.
Specific Assurance and Integrity Level (SAIL): A metric used to determine the level of assurance and integrity required for a UAS operation, based on its complexity and risk profile.
Operational Safety Objectives (OSO): Safety targets set for UAS operations to mitigate specific risks.
Adjacent Area and Adjacent Airspace: Defined zones near the operational area or airspace that may affect or be affected by UAS operations.
Operations Manual (OM): A document prepared by the UAS operator detailing procedures and measures to ensure safe and compliant operations.
Emergency Response Plan (ERP): A predefined plan outlining the actions to take in response to emergencies during UAS operations.
Cross-Border Operations: UAS operations conducted across international boundaries, requiring coordination between national aviation authorities.
Conclusion
Mastering the terminology of EASA Regulation 2019/947 is an important step toward ensuring safe and compliant UAS operations. By understanding these definitions, operators, manufacturers, and regulators can work together to build a robust ecosystem for integrating drones into everyday life.
At AirHub Consultancy, we specialize in guiding enterprises, governments, and manufacturers through regulatory requirements. Our software platform complements our consultancy services by offering tools for compliance management, flight planning, and risk assessment. Contact us to learn how we can support your drone operations.