Spotlight on…
Royal Bath & West – Safety Zone
The Royal Bath & West Show 2018
We are privileged to be supporting the Royal Bath & West Show 2018, providing a drone safety focused stand within the shows Safety Zone.
We are passionate about supporting recreational and commercial drone fliers to fly Safely, Legally and considerately; so come and say hi to Al, Helen and Steve on the stand throughout the week.
We are taking key elements of our drone experience session to the show. This will include a range of drones with a hobby simulator and a commercial drone simulator for people to try.
There is an opportunity for visitors to enter the daily Safety Zone quiz with an opportunity to win £50 of Amazon vouchers.
We hope to see you there.
#Drones #RBW2018 #dronesafety
See you @ the Commercial UAV Show!
We’re looking forward to visiting the 2nd Annual Commercial UAV Show at the ExCel Centre on 20-21 Oct, to catch up with colleagues, customers and friends in the UAV world. Contact us if you fancy meeting up!
More information on the show can be found here
See you there!
#UAVShow #Unmanned #RPAS
RPAS Flying Responsibly, Safely and Legally
Drones, RPAS, UAV, UAS …. it does not matter what you call them or what they look like (rotary wing, fixed wing, multi rotor, Lighter Than Air) or even what you are using them for (recreation or commercial); all are subject to UK CAA policy and rules when flying. When these systems are operated with onboard sensors (eg imagery), UK privacy and data protection laws are a consideration.
These RPAS systems are increasingly popular, because a complete flying novice can purchase one and go straight out and manage to get it off of the ground. Once off of the ground, consideration must be given to the safety of aircraft, people, animals, property and privacy.
A J S have assisted small business operators in understanding the requirements to operate safely and within the law. We have also helped with developing operating procedures based on 30 years aviation experience. Contact us to discuss your situation and if/how we may be of assistance. We could arrange to assist you in either an adhoc manner “support by the hour” as and when you require it, or we can agree a firm priced support package to suit your needs and budget. Contact Us
A few points and associated references and explanations are provided below. Please use the latest referenced documents as the guidance and if in doubt seek advice.
Irrespective of what type of flying (recreational or commercial), you have a responsibility for safe and legal use of the system, ignorance is not an excuse. Not all flyers of these systems will be aware that all air systems that fly in UK airspace are subject to the rules of the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA); these rules are published in CAP393 – Air Navigation: The Order and the Regulations.
Commercial flyers carrying out Aerial Work should operate in accordance with CAP722 – Unmanned Aircraft System Operations in UK Airspace – Guidance.
Model flyers should operate in accordance with CAP658 – Model Aircraft: A Guide to Safe Flying and the guidance for model flyers on the CAA website here.
British Model Flying Association (BMFA) – There are many sources of additional guidance for safe and legal recreational flying from organisations such as BMFA, Large Model Association, FPV UK.
These high tech systems operate with HD cameras and recording systems which may infringe on privacy if not operated professionally. As with all of these areas there is legal, policy and guidance available on line:
Data Protection Act – Drones – The Information Commissioners Office (ICO) has specific rules for operators of these types of air systems. Link
CCTV Code of Practice – A data protection code of practice for surveillance cameras and personal information – Para 7.3 Unmanned Air Systems. Link
You only have to look at online video sites and in the national news (eg The Sunday Times) to see the evidence that systems are being flown outside of the rules for safe and legal flight in UK. I would suspect that companies like DJI will be rubbing their hands together with the increased interest, and so will the legal firms; it may be too easy to blur the line between recreational and commercial flying to generate debate and revenue.
The CAA are actively seeking out irresponsible and illegal operators of RPAS. It is not difficult to find the operators from a wealth of evidence on social media websites like YouTube and Twitter. It is clear who have little regard for aircraft, people, animals, property and privacy from these videos and photos. The CAA has a Whistleblowing Report Form, this form may be used to submit a report to the CAA under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998. With over 400 legally registered commercial RPAS operators not wanting to lose customers due to bad press from illegal operators, this could be a quick and easy method to reduce the risk of potential bad press.
The UK CAA has recently published a useful leaflet promoting the basics of safe and legal flying of these systems. It is definitely compulsory reading for new flyers and maybe a timely reminder for the ‘old sweats’.
We have included graphics form the leaflet in this post please see the CAA site for the latest version of the guidance. Here.
If you found this useful and know any other pilot or group that may also find it useful, please share freely.
If you require assistance in understanding the information available, or wish to develop a commercial operation using remotely piloted systems, please contact us to see how we may be of assistance. You can see our background and experience here and you can contact us from here.
Season’s Greetings and Best Wishes
As we once again relax and experience seasonal cheer at the end of another busy year, our thoughts turn to our Armed Forces serving worldwide who are not so safe and relaxed for this seasonal period. We will be thinking of them and raise a glass to those and all our absent friends.
A J S has experienced continued progress and success in 2014 and we are looking forward to continuing to support Defence Equipment customers and Commercial Unmanned Aircraft operator customers in 2015.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank our valued 2014 customers for their custom and look forward to continuing to support them in 2015.
And if you are now the proud owner of a new remotely controlled aircraft this Christmas, enjoy your flying and we wish you a safe and legal experience – Guidance.
Season’s Greetings and Best Wishes for the New Year from the A J S Team
#RPAS #UAS #Defence #Drone #RPAS
Independent RPAS Advice and Guidance For Operators
A J S are qualified aeronautical engineers with over 30 years experience in operational aviation, developing aviation equipment based capabilities and associated sustainable support solutions. Our experience is in delivering high availability capabilities for operationally critical services. Commercial use of RPAS / UAS / Drones requires systems that are cost effective to operate at a profit. Similar to Defence and Security capabilities, commercial operation is reliant on the systems availability, reliability and sustainability; to be successful.
From our foundation in operational aviation, in early 2009 we began to develop our specialist knowledge and experience in the use of unmanned aircraft and their systems, to satisfy customer equipment capability requirements. In 2010 we were one of the first UK Commercial operators in UK to obtain the approval to operate. We have specific experience in three key areas of unmanned air system development:
– Capability requirement development and options analysis
– CAA certification and approval
– Service Development
With qualified specialists and our in depth aviation operational experience, we feel that today, we are ideally placed when supporting businesses operating or planning to operate unmanned systems commercially.
A J S Support is providing its customers with an independent, cost effective, value for money, tailored support service to suit the customer’s project and budget.
We are assisting equipment procurement and management teams with a range key through life planning and implementation activities. These are examples of equipment life cycle activities we can assist with:
• Develop a Concept Of Use.
• Develop Use and Support strategies
• Develop User and System Requirements.
• Initiate and develop a Supportability Engineering program.
• Review Potential Supplier System Specifications against Requirements to inform system selection.
• Down Select to suitable affordable value for money suppliers.
• Confirm System Performance against Requirements (Demos).
• Develop Safe Operating Procedures.
• Develop through life support costs.
• Develop optimised and sustainable support solution.
• Develop optimised maintenance schedules.
• Develop spares predictions.
• Procure equipment or service and manage intro.
• Monitor In Service Performance.
• Modify or Upgrade.
• Disposal/Termination of Capability.
If you require support on any aspect of RPAS procurement and operational deployment please do not hesitate to Contact A J S or visit our website.
CONTACTS ……. WAIT OUT ……….
The news is once again rife with stories of the latest service personnel redundancies and how the MoD is supporting these to resettle outside of service life “Civvie Street”. During a recent contract involving team members who were very new service leavers, and also bumping into a number of others who are due to leave inthe near future; I have been reminded of my time leaving the services 7 years ago and the associated emotional roller coaster ride.
During my 22 years’ service I will admit that I grew too comfortable within the historically proven military support machine, where even the change was often planned and structured into familiar phases!
Eventually most services personnel irrespective of Service and Rank, leave and seek some form of work, either self-employed or employed. It is certainly a reality check and a leveler in my experience.
The Career Transition Partnership (CTP) is the Ministry of Defence working with Right Management. Service leavers of all ranks from the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Marines can all benefit from resettlement support, career transition advice and training opportunities.
This CTP service has its work cut out as it must support a wide variety of service leavers. Not all serve the same length of time and not all are the same age. They have a range of different trades, skills, outlooks, ranks, and motivations. I remember the CTP supporting my resettlement. I specifically remember sitting for an age through briefings on housing and finances, with other sessions on Self Awareness and CV writing. Was this exactly what I needed? ……….maybe not. Essentially though, it provided me with an interim strategy and focus when the unknown world of “Civvie Street” was looming.
This individual Services leaver package for obvious commercial reasons has a finite life. My personal view is that you need the most support when the first job or new career approach doesn’t quite work out. In the absence of anything else, not all survive this to move on to the next phase, but what gets many through is the “get on with it” gene and knowing someone who knows someone.
If I had to down-select to one single element that has helped me survive in the outside world so far, it would have to be maintaining regular contact with social and business contacts since leaving.
During a service person’s service life their paths cross with many hundreds of people that they meet either at work or during social events. We all take the time to maintain our social networking connections both on and off-line; maintaining frequent contact with family and friends. .
There no longer appears to be such a thing as a job for life, so sooner or later, whether you are employed, self-employed or between jobs there might be a time when you can help or be helped by someone you know or knew. What we possibly should do is nurture the habit to devote a small amount of time to the maintenance of our work / business network both on and off-line.
Similar to family and friends contacts, Face to face contact is best, but there are only 24 hours in any day and electronic contact is better than no contact.
In Summary: 7 years ago CTP was a positive first step but not the solution to finding my next career for me. If an ex-service person asked me for one single piece of advice for sorting employment out, outside of the services, I would have to say to maintain and generate work contacts and don’t be afraid to ask for help; employment and work is simply business and you never know when your contacts may need you.
Good luck to all new and old service leavers.
Keep in touch.
Few associated links:
http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/WhatWeDo/Personnel/CTP/
https://www.ctp.org.uk/
https://www.ctp.org.uk/assets/x/52802 JSP 534 The Tri-Service Resettlement Manual
Never go shopping without a list!
In our small area within the world of equipment and support, we meet many interesting individuals and teams. All are enthusiastically involved in technology, equipment and capability delivery for many applications. These teams are procuring systems selected based on a wide variety of reasons, often including: brand preference, politics, trends and even the level of technology packed into it; often sadly not based on a logical procurement strategy. Quite probably the current technology considered for development of a commercial domestic use has previously been developed as a variant and used in Defence.
We get asked to recommend or rate a suggested product in a range of technology that the client’s representative has seen. Once engaged, we have sometimes identified that the capability being saught can more effectively be met with a very different solution; often much simpler and more cost effective. In reality, if the original purchase had been made, the equipment would soon be gathering dust, replaced by a more suitable solution as budget allows.
ADVICE
Have you ever heard of these pieces of advice?
1. Never go shopping without a list!
2. Never go food shopping on an empty stomach!
Why is this advice given? Because if we do not follow this advice:
1. We over spend against our budget.
2. We come back with purchased items or services that were not essential.
3. We purchase items or services that we will never use.
In our opinion this advice is just as relevant to equipment capability procurement, as it is to domestic procurement.
More recently, and noticeably more frequently, we are being asked to recommend and provide advice and guidance on unmanned air systems for commercial or security use. This includes clients wishing to purchase a system that they have seen and that they feel that they have a perceived use for. We have to admire the sales and marketing machine that is focused on the potential client’s attraction for new technology and gadgets. At A J S we can of course provide technical advice and guidance on a case by case basis for a specific equipment solution.
Our recommended “best practice” is not to focus on a solution before you know your requirement. Our advice is develop a shopping list first, before you go shopping, or before you engage with a salesperson.
OUR SERVICE
We offer professional and independent equipment and support consultancy services with no affiliation or preference for any particular technology, product or manufacturer. We use proven effective approaches to assist teams or individuals involved in equipment based capability procurement or upgrade. Our methods and approaches implemented have been used by ourselves for many years and are based on the experience of industry and defence “best practice”.
Our support approach can be tailored to suit the scope and complexity required by any client, from a single item £25K capability to a £ Multi Billion solution. We can start to assist you from the very early stage of concept analysis and requirements gathering, through to sucessful introduction into service.
There are many individuals and teams out there making costly mistakes as they procure expensive technological systems. Let us minimise those mistakes by providing advice and guidance based on many years of procuring, operating and supporting major high tech capabilities; and save you and your business time and money.
Call us today to see how we may cost effectively support you and your equipment capability procurement project.
We speak fluent ‘Defence Procurement’ !
An update for those in Aerosace and Defence who are buying or selling nano, micro or small unmanned air systems.
At A J S Support Ltd we see developing opportunities for us to provide support to customers involved in the Procurement, Business Management and Equipment Support for small UAS. We have over 25 years experience of being actively involved in Defence Equipment procurement and its through life support. We have supported Industry and MoD Teams at various stages of the procurement and support process, for a number of major Defence equipment capabilities. A summary of key equipments supported can be seen here.
We are equipment support specialists. The majority of our experience has been gained involved in the Defence procurement process. I suppose you could say we now speak fluent ‘Defence Procurement’ and ‘Industry Equipment Support Contract’. We understand the terminology, have in-depth knowledge and have hands on experience of operating equipment in hostile and extreme environmental conditions. We have experience of equipment capability development, from Requirements to Validation and Verification. We are conversant and experienced with Defence Standards, Joint Service Publications, the financial processes and assurance procedures; that are required by the MoD to ensure that equipment is successfully introduced into service and fully supported.
Additionally, having over 2 years practical experience in the development of commercial support services using small unmanned aircraft systems – We consider ourselves to be one of a rare breed that are ideally placed to assist industry manufactures and distributes of Nano, Micro and small UAS (nUAS , mUAS and sUAS) when buying, selling and supporting products and systems in the UK MoD market.
For many years we have provided professional, qualified and experienced support to Government and Industry teams who are procuring, delivering and supporting Defence equipment; contact us today for more details on how we may be able to support you. Contact details
FARNBOROUGH AIRSHOW 2010
On previous years AJS have been unable to attend this event due to essential contracting commitments. So this year we made a special effort. Cooperative clients and ninja diary juggling this year meant we have squeezed in a valuable visit.
For us, this trip was about a combination of keeping up to date with developments and suppliers in the aircraft marketplace, seeing how the event can help our business in future and also developing face to face relationships. The bulk of our clients are major operators or manufacturers of aircraft, they all regularly appear at such events, so this is a venue to catch up with their specific developments.
For us, seeing such show stealers as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the impressive Boeing range of UAS capabilities on display including the Phantom Ray, was all part of the days experience.
Unmanned air systems used in current conflicts are well publicised and understood. AJS particular area of interest is the civil use of small unmanned air systems. This is a rapidly changing environment with new systems, new and updated legislation, which leads to new opportunities for businesses.
Although we maintain our currency with publicised developments in the areas of systems and legislation, it is great to see the many developments in fixed wing and rotary wing unmanned systems first hand; and meet some of the people we interact with in the development of our services.
It was interesting to see the commercial relationships developing in the field of UAS legislation, training, certification and insurance. All of these areas have compulsory requirements for commercially operating a small unmanned system. Recent rule changes will impact current operators in future when reapplying to the CAA for approval, as they cannot use a previous CAA approved organisation such as BMFA or LMA to obtain an operator certificate. They will be required to use another CAA approved commercial organisation. We have also been warned of other changes being planned. AJS, as small potential commercial operators of sUAS, are hoping that approval is granted for a number of such organisations by the CAA. This will encourage healthy competition that should result in fair pricing with value for money services. We will expand on this subject in a later Blog entry dedicated to this very subject.
Back to the trip.
We were particularly interested in the small unmanned air systems at the show. On display were:
- Aeryon Labs Scout (quad-copter)
- Aurora Flight Sciences Skate
- {Company Name Removed at their request} MicroDrone MD4-200
- FanWing UAV technology demonstrator
- MicroB from BlueBird AeroSystems
- SR-30 UAS from Advanced UAV Technology (AUAVT)
- Vigilante from USTL
- YellowPlane sUAS Boomerang
About six of these took part in a long awaited flight demonstration of unmanned systems outside on the airfield. Their flights were part of the daily schedule plan but did not appear to be part of the announced activity. This, coupled with the fact that they are small and very quiet meant we missed the flights.
Among those that did fly we feel we must say congratulations to fellow sUAS operators from YellowPlane and AttoPilot, who made history on 19/07/10 by being the first ever fixed wing UAS to fly at Farnborough Airshow.
Flights that we didn’t miss were of the Aurora Flight Sciences Skate and {Company Name Removed at their request} MicroDrone MD4-200. These took place inside, in what looked like a UAV play pen.
We have a great deal of experience of operating an MD4-200 but just when I thought I had seen all of the ways you can defy gravity with a small unmanned aircraft, I saw Aurora Flight Sciences Skate. A professionally presented solution with many intriguing design features. One for us to watch in the future.
A J S Support Limited Blog 