Corporate Liability Training - Drones in the Energy Sector - Aberdeen

The drone industry is projected to reach $48 billion by 2030 as technology advances and regulations evolve. As the industry expands, organisations will leverage drones directly or through third party providers.

This increasing use of drones has important legal implications that organisations should address proactively. In 2024, UK Civil Aviation Authority regulatory changes will enable Beyond Line of Sight operations and designate any entity using drones as an "Operator" responsible for flights, similar to an airline.

This framework institutes commercial aviation style oversight standards, with Operators accountable for compliance and safety. The goal is a regulated yet innovative industry maximising drone benefits while maintaining oversight.

As Operators, company directors face potential vicarious liability for drone operations. To help mitigate these risks, organisations should establish standardised processes and designate an "Accountable Manager" responsible for drone compliance. On Tuesday 18th June, Consortiq’s UK Chief Pilot, Cath Alldred will host an informative training session at Integrity HSE offices.

During this training session, we will examine the challenges organisations face in controlling the safe and legal use of drones. We will provide insight into critical areas demanding attention and improvement. We will define the role of an Accountable Manager and their duties. Importantly, we will discuss how to identify the right candidate for the role, given the complex legal duties and the benefits of adopting a standardised, best-practice approach. This enables drone operations to demonstrate safety, legal compliance, and due diligence to mitigate risks in a court of law, if necessary.

The training session will provide an opportunity for attendees to ask questions and share perspectives on how regulations may impact organisational drone strategies. Various compliance options such as bringing operations in-house or utilising third-party auditing and oversight will be discussed. To conclude the training session, a high-level checklist will be provided to help participants incorporate these considerations into their processes. This holistic view aims to empower attendees to help develop a comprehensive checklist that can be implemented to consistently facilitate safe and compliant flight operations, cultivating a positive culture of drone safety throughout an organisation.

“The course really helped team members (with minimal drone background) understand what is possible with Drones and who the responsibilities lie with. Undertaking the training at a very early stage in any drone project should be essential for all consortium members as it aligns everyone’s expectations.”

- Dr Mehmet Ali Erbil -

Principal UAV Engineer Soton UAV THU

University of Southampton

All interested parties are cordially invited to attend to gain valuable insights as the commercial drone industry continues its projected growth trajectory. Space is limited for this popular course being offered for the first time, in Aberdeen. Please follow the link to register or contact [email protected] for an invoice.

Host or Publisher Consortiq