Introduction
Montrose Port is a busy commercial port in the North East of Scotland. At all times of the day and night the port is used by a wide variety of vessels, cranes and mobile plant and equipment. Within the port are also number of buildings and structures which vary in height and almost all of them are occupied by business going about their daily activities. Unregulated and careless use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones) pose many potential hazards – ranging from risk of injury to passengers / crew on boats through to collision with structures and vessels. Consequently, the port is not a safe place for the routine use of any type of low flying aircraft – manned or unmanned.
Definition
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) – An unmanned aerial vehicle, commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without a human pilot aboard. UAVs are a component of an unmanned aircraft system; which include a UAV, a ground-based controller, and a system of communications between the two.
A small UAV – is defined as ‘any unmanned aircraft, other than a balloon or a kite, having a mass of not more than 20 kgs without its fuel but including any articles or equipment installed in or attached to the aircraft at the beginning of its flight’.
A commercial operation – is defined as: ‘flight by a small, unmanned aircraft which performed under a contract between the UAV operator and a customer which includes remuneration or other valuable consideration’.
Authorisation
The port has a no leisure drone policy in place throughout the port estate; however, it’s accepted that there may be the occasion when a commercial drone may need to be used in the port estate.
In these instances, where a commercial drone needs to be used in the port estate then the drone operator must apply for authorisation prior to the proposed flight date.
As part of the application, the following must, be provided:
• Risk assessment and method statement;
• Proposed time and duration of filming;
• Proposed take-off and landing site for the drone (to include a diagram showing the take-off and landing site for the drone; if the flight path is known beforehand, this should also be included in the diagram);
• Public Liability Insurance certificate;
• Details of the drone operating company;
• Details of the drone CAA Registration code;
• Evidence of the drone operators training by a CAA approved training provider.
Port Rules for the use of Drones
Drone users who have been authorised to operate in the port must:
• Always keep the drone within their line of sight;
• Fly below an altitude of 400ft at all times;
• Stay 50m away from people, and buildings and vessels;
• Keep 150m away from crowds, built up areas and areas where crane operations are taking place;
• Only fly their drones as and when it is safe to do so.
Records
Records of review shall be kept for 3 years, then archived for a further 2 years.
Review
This policy will be reviewed annually or sooner in the event of changes within the organisation or its operational requirements.
Audit
This policy will be audited as part of the MPA IMS audit programme.