Page 15 - 2018-Issue3

REMOTE PILOTS PAGE 15

BY JOSEPH WHEELER

Remote Pilots

Are remote pilots really pilots? This question is rightfully being treated with
some seriousness in global professional piloting circles through IFALPA, and
builds on a variety of regional views which emerged in 2016 - that professional
and responsible commercial remote pilots, typically characterised by a suitable
standard of certification, training and experience, are a category of airspace
users whose views and concerns in many respects mirror those of IFALPA
Members.

Safety of operation is obviously a be known as the Remote Pilot Working Group
paramount concern for all responsible airspace (RPWG) was comprised of experts from some
users. This is why the AFAP sought to collaborate eight Member Associations.
with professional remote pilots through its MOU The Group prepared a preliminary written
with the Australian Certified UAV Operator’s report and recommendations for the Board of
Association, to increase respective members’ IFALPA with respect to key questions around the
appreciation of this fact and to seek opportunities theme of “should and/or how will IFALPA and its
to work together where government relations Member Associations engage with professional
might necessitate. remote pilots in future?” (Continued, page 16).
However, such efforts are not in isolation.
In the last few years, pilot associations the
world over have grappled with the issue of the
professional, safety, and technical representation
needs common to remotely piloted aircraft and
manned aviation. In parallel to the international
consideration of UASs on safety and technical
aspects of international operations, many IFALPA
Member Associations have begun to accept
varieties of RPAS members into their ranks,
including ACA (Austria), BALPA (UK), NF(Norway)
& SEPLA (Spain).
In November 2017, in recognition of the
speed of development on all fronts, IFALPA’s
Professional and Government Affairs (PGA)
Committee established a working group to look
at how such issues should be treated by the peak
organisation for Air Line Pilots Associations. The
volunteer members of the group which came to