DUAS 0038 - A Short Notice TDA
Initial Report
We had planned to do a Drone survey in Berwick (Class G airspace) and had notified our intention to do so via the APP “Drone Assist” several days in advance. Having checked NOTAMS on arrival at site around 08.00am (there were none relevant to the site we were at) before flying a survey, we undertook an initial flight with a Mavic 3 Enterprise RTK for the purpose of verifying a number of requirements including the level of the tide, distances, the length of shadows etc. Once we had finished the flight, we started preparing for a sequence of autonomous flights to collect the specified point cloud data, using a DJI M300. Just prior to taking off we again checked NOTAMS and somewhat to our surprise noticed a NOTAM that had activated with immediate effect a Temporary Danger Area covering the site where we were located. Fortunately, there was a contact number that we could call. This is not always the case. On calling the number, we discovered that the TDA had been activated with immediate effect by the Coastguard, who were dealing with a callout. We were told that they were not authorised to give us permission to enter the TDA, but they would call us back to let us know when they had asked for the TDA to be closed down. We received a call approximately 40 minutes later telling us that they had completed their mission in the area and had asked for the TDA to be closed. It then took a further two hours for the request to deactivate the TDA and for this to be evidenced via a NOTAM appearing visually on Drone Assist. The Coastguard was not aware of the APP and had not been aware of our presence at that site.
CHIRP Comment
The Board had the following comments:
- Checking NOTAMS before every single flight rather than every single day, is clearly now an absolute requirement.
- If a TDA is imposed during a flight and at very short notice, the only current way of finding out about it is looking at NOTAMS on the AIS. Using Drone Assist is no longer advisable, because it may not now be accurate, following the Administration of Altitude Angel.
- Substitutes to Drone Assist may appear in due course, so it is worth keeping an eye out in social media for any references to them being announced.
- Drone pilots may want to telephone the London Flight Information Service “FIS” or Scottish FIS, who will always have up-to-date information in their respective regions.
- Longer term we expect there to be changes to the way NOTAMS are promulgated, but we do not know the timing.
- The Board noted that there will be financial and duty time implications for a Drone Operator, if a TDA is imposed at short notice, particularly if it then takes several hours to close it down.
- Just because there is a short notice TDA in place it may get missed by the Drone community who are unable to have a live AIS feed on their controller, so crewed aviation needs to bear in mind they should continue to keep a good lookout.
- For up-to-date information on specific NOTAM, including Restricted Areas (Temporary), Airspace Upgrades and Emergency Restrictions of Flying, you can call the AIS Information Line (H24) on 08085 354802 or +44 (0)1489 887515.
- The Board also noted that the “owner” of a short notice TDA needs to remain aware that there is a possibility that Drone Operators may not have seen the TDA become active, given the way the AIS promulgates the information, so they need to stay alert to this possibility.