From fpvuk.org:
“Following several years of negotiations, the CAA has today issued ‘UAS 7068’ – UAS implementing regulation article 16 operational authorisation.
When the rules change on 31st December 2020 this authorisation will allow association members to enjoy privileges beyond the new rules.  Such as:

• Flying FPV without a competent observer for each drone – in a sterile area (such as a race location).
  
  
• Flying FPV with a competent observer.
  
  
• Flying your aicraft above 400ft (except multirotors).
  
  
• Flying in a park (a built up area is normally defined as ‘An area substantially used for industrial, recreational, commercial or residential purposes’ and is now allowed.  Under the authorisation flight is allowed in an area used for only ‘recreational purposes’ – such as a park).
  
  
• Flying to a distance of 30m from uninvolved people (15m on take off and landing) – this is a bubble around the person, unlike the open category which is a horizontal distance – ie overflight is allowed for association members.
  
  
• Flying sailplanes up to 400ft above the pilot – allowing for ridge soaring.”
  

Link to UAS 7068: https://www.fpvuk.org/files/20201215-UKM...sation.pdf

It depends how you look at it. See the last paragraph in my earlier post below...

https://intofpv.com/t-caa-regulation-pri...on-members

To benefit from those privileges / exemptions you still need to pay to have your name stored in the instant suspect database. You also still can't fly FPV without a spotter and there is still no flying BVLOS.

(16-Dec-2020, 11:05 PM)SnowLeopardFPV Wrote: It depends how you look at it. See the last paragraph in my earlier post below...

https://intofpv.com/t-caa-regulation-pri...on-members

To benefit from those privileges / exemptions you still need to pay to have your name stored in the instant suspect database. You also still can't fly FPV without a spotter and there is still no flying BVLOS.

I had a drone insurance even before joining fpvuk, so don’t think £20/year in this hobby make us poorer.
Considering where the drones regulations are heading to around the world (just to mention: remote Id), I consider myself lucky.

Yes, it's definitely a step in the right direction (more relaxed rules rather than tighter rules), but most people are flying FPV illegally anyway without a spotter or flying BVLOS, so those people are better off just keeping their names off of any government databases in the first place and flying (safely) out of the public eye in which case any associate club membership privileges / exemptions like that actually make no difference.

Different now they are making it illegal to fly without being on the database though. They're clamping down on it like driving a car without a license. It's a sad thing but its going to be forced upon all of us

(16-Dec-2020, 11:27 PM)SnowLeopardFPV Wrote: Yes, it's definitely a step in the right direction (more relaxed rules rather than tighter rules), but most people are flying FPV illegally anyway without a spotter or flying BVLOS, so those people are better off just keeping their names off of any government databases in the first place and flying (safely) out of the public eye in which case any associate club membership privileges / exemptions like that actually make no difference.

If any shifty fellow (   ) wants to fly illegally can just rip off the registration sticker from the quad. If it fells down or crashes on something... run Forrest, run!
I don’t see how been registered to a list can make your position worse as "ignorance of the law excuses not".

(16-Dec-2020, 11:36 PM)coyote_dc5 Wrote: Different now they are making it illegal to fly without being on the database though. They're clamping down on it like driving a car without a license. It's a sad thing but its going to be forced upon all of us

Being registered to one of the mentioned associations makes them sure you are covered with an insurance.
I don’t see a conspiracy behind this rule.

(16-Dec-2020, 11:41 PM)andreab Wrote: If any shifty fellow (   ) wants to fly illegally can just rip off the registration sticker from the quad. If it fells down or crashes on something... run Forrest, run!
I don’t see how been registered to a list can make your position worse as "ignorance of the law excuses not".

In which case why would those people even bother to register at all? Those people may as well stay under the radar and keep their name out of any databases in the first place.

(17-Dec-2020, 12:01 AM)SnowLeopardFPV Wrote: In which case why would those people even bother to register at all? Those people may as well stay under the radar and keep their name out of any databases in the first place.

If there was a remote Id enforcement, I could have agreed with you.
I don’t understand the meaning of “stay under the radar” when there is no way to link the quad to you.
The benefit is to have an insurance for a few bucks, be peaceful when flying within the rules and support the hobby.

(16-Dec-2020, 11:36 PM)coyote_dc5 Wrote: Different now they are making it illegal to fly without being on the database though. They're clamping down on it like driving a car without a license. It's a sad thing but its going to be forced upon all of us

When was the last time you saw the police driving around twiddling their thumbs looking for someone to nick? They don't even have enough resources to go after the hard core criminals, let alone waste precious time and resources trudging through fields trying to find someone who might be flying a quad without a license or by FPV without a spotter.

(17-Dec-2020, 12:12 AM)andreab Wrote: I don’t understand the meaning of “stay under the radar” when there is no way to link the quad to you.
The benefit is to have an insurance for a few bucks, be peaceful when flying within the rules and support the hobby.

The quad is linked to you with your Operator ID which has to be attached to the quad. If you fly with no Operator ID on the quad or you decide to remove it for any reason then you are flying illegally so any insurance you think you might have will be null and void. Likewise, if you fly FPV without a spotter or BVLOS (which is also illegal) and something happens, then your insurance is also void. So if you are doing any of those things then why even bother to register at all? It's an oxymoron.

(17-Dec-2020, 12:19 AM)SnowLeopardFPV Wrote: The quad is linked to you with your Operator ID which has to be attached to the quad. If you fly with no Operator ID on the quad or you decide to remove it for any reason then you are flying illegally so any insurance you think you might have will be null and void. Likewise, if you fly FPV without a spotter or BVLOS (which is also illegal) and something happens, then your insurance is also void. So if you are doing any of those things then why even bother to register at all? It's an oxymoron.

It’s like to say the car insurance is useless as most of the times we drive over the speed limits.
When I fly during the summer I normally have my wife with me. During the winter, often I have to rely on squirrels or other seasonal animals as casual spotters :-)

BTW, I don’t think the insurance is null if the operator id is not attached to the frame. The law doesn’t require the number to be printed on the frame itself (like on a car) and a sticker can get detached during the flight, especially in a humid environment.

Unfortunately the more people that support these unwarranted schemes by just handing over their cash, the more reason governments have to think they made the right decision by implementing them in the first place. The easy option is just to roll over and comply with every single thing, but sometimes you need to vote with your feet.



Below are some past topics on the subject. As you can see, I'm an avid supporter of registration schemes and tightening up regulations

• UK Drone Registration Scheme Postponed: https://intofpv.com/t-news-uk-drone-regi...-postponed
  
• UK Drone Registration Scheme Update: https://intofpv.com/t-news-uk-drone-regi...-total-blx
  
• UK Drone Registration Scheme Goes Live: https://intofpv.com/t-uk-drone-registrat...s-reunited
  
• General Exemption E-4957: https://intofpv.com/t-general-exemption-e-4957
  
• UK Drone Registration Deadline Extension: https://intofpv.com/t-for-fpvuk-bmfa-mem...-extension
  

Living in Australia, these laws in the UK do not have much impact on me directly but they do serve as an example (for authorities here) on how similar laws are implemented else where in the world.

Bruce is right in that video. We are funding authorities to come hunt us and deprive us from our hobby/freedom all in the name of safety.

Having said that, I have always been extra cautious about what information I declare and how it can be used against me in a legal situation or even highlight me on a list of people that match a specific attribute.

I know that living in a civil society, it is always advisable to seek permission, but many times in my life I have felt it's better to ask forgiveness than permission.

(17-Dec-2020, 05:34 AM)kafie1980 Wrote: Bruce is right in that video. We are funding authorities to come hunt us and deprive us from our hobby/freedom all in the name of safety.

^^^^^ Yes, exactly this. Anyone who hasn't watched Bruce's video in post #13 should take time to watch it and listen.

People who are flying FPV without a spotter or who are flying medium / long range and who are registered are not only hypocritical, but they are being complicit in supporting and endorsing these unjustified registration schemes (supposedly in the name of safety which we all know is complete BS), when they themselves are already acting illegally. Those people either need to abide by all of the rules or they need to stop funding the unwarranted registration schemes and slowly contributing to the killing of the hobby, because once governments have got their foot in the door the regulations will only get tighter and tighter over time. The door needs to be closed before a foot can even be wedged in.

People are riding around on electric scooters on public roads and footpaths which is totally ILLEGAL in the UK, but do the police do anything about it? No. I've watched numerous electric scooters brazenly ride past police in London with my own eyes but the police don't even bat an eyelid. No-one is going to start coming after FPV pilots unless they are doing something really stupid or endangering people. So just fly safely away from people and you have nothing to worry about even if you're not registered.

When dog owners are required to have a license for their dogs and paramotor fliers need some kind or license or registration to take to the skies then maybe just maybe there will be a minuscule case for drone registration. Until then it's an abuse of people's right to freedom and just another stealth tax with no risk assessment to back up its justification.

We voted to leave the EU so why are we still implementing EU law and all the EASA rules BS? Our current government is clearly just a circus act being led by BoJo the clown.