Number of registered drone pilots in Finland triples in five years
In Finland, the number of registered people who operate drones has more than tripled over five years, rising from more than 13,000 to more than 43,000. At the same time, domestic drone traffic is not controlled by air traffic control services, and flight safety depends on the remote pilot’s assessment, YLE News reports.
Drones in the country are used not only for recreation, but also by police, farmers, land survey engineers and real estate agents. Commercial drone flights are also being tested in Finland.
Calls to strengthen oversight
Pentti Etelä-Aho, a development engineer at the drone laboratory of Centria University of Applied Sciences who has 20 years of drone-operating experience, said that many pilots fly without authorization or do not know the basic rules. According to him, he has experienced dangerous close encounters with other drones.
Drone flights are currently monitored only by the police, and their resources vary depending on the area. New models may be equipped with sensors that warn of approaching objects, while older devices do not have such systems.
A remote pilot is a person who controls a drone. They must pass a theoretical exam and know the restrictions in the flight area. A drone operator is usually its owner, an individual or a company; they must register and are responsible for insurance if the aircraft weighs more than 20 kilograms.
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Self-monitoring and commercial trials
According to the authorities’ assessment, the volume of drone traffic remains low, so there is no air traffic control for such flights. If a pilot commits a violation during a flight, they must report it independently to the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom. Pasi Takala, head of a unit at the agency, noted that few such reports had been received and that the current self-monitoring system is sufficient.
Riskier operations, including drone cargo deliveries, require an operational authorization in the specific category. Such flights are also based on self-monitoring, but are additionally checked during random inspections.
West Avia in Seinäjoki is planning commercial flights to deliver small cargo from Ideapark to customers’ doors. For this purpose, the project is applying to establish a UAS airspace authorization zone. An observer is expected to inform other air traffic participants about the drone, including via aviation radio communications.
Traficom may create U-space airspace in areas with particularly intensive drone and other aviation traffic. According to YLE News, no such zones have yet been requested or created in Finland.
