New Flying Areas for Drones Planned for Autumn Next Year in Germany

Cologne — The first urban airspaces in which drones will be able to fly beyond the pilot's line of sight could be in place by autumn 2023, experts have said. An EU framework regulation opens up the possibility of so-called U-spaces as early as the end of January next year.

The legislative processes in Germany will however take more time, said the head of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Association in German-speaking countries (UAV DACH), Achim Friedl. So far, such flights are only possible with a kind of special permit and only after an elaborate application procedure, he told dpa.

The U-spaces are urban airspaces near the ground where the flights of drones, helicopters and aeroplanes will be coordinated.

To avoid collisions, the locations of the flying objects are to be made visible to all parties involved. A service provider authorizes the flights and gives the drone pilot directions on where to fly.

"U-spaces can be a big step forward in making drones more common than they are now," Friedl said.

The drones could monitor company facilities, transport urgent tissue samples for clinics and take over services for craftsmen - for example, when a roofer wants to get an overview of a project in advance. The German Transport Ministry said it would present a proposal for a U-spaces law next year.

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