National Highways has introduced a new flight management system that aims to make it easier to plot the use of drones across its network.
The government-owned company said the new system, which launched last week, will speed up the process for drone operators looking to fly near its roads and improve safety through better co-ordination and visibility of flights.
It will also share information with such organisations as Network Rail, National Grid and other large companies, which also use this system, to help prevent conflict with any other flights taking place nearby.
Drone operators such as contractors looking to fly near the strategic road network will be able to go online to enter details of their planned flight and will then be able to see immediately whether other flights and operations are planned in the area and when.
Operators currently have to apply to National Highways with paperwork such as risk assessments and then notify the company ahead of any flights, which carries out checks to ensure there are no conflicts.
There have been more than 1,000 notifications in the last two years, with the number of flights continually increasing.
National Highways' Drones Governance Hub chair, Jason Glasson, said this meant it needed to develop a more joined-up approach to co-ordinate drone activities near its network.
He said: ‘Drones are already used for monitoring construction projects as well as surveying and inspecting assets.
'Drones allow the industry to gather new and richer asset information while minimising risks to workers and road users. They also reduce disruption for drivers as few road closures are required for these activities.’
The system works alongside a new Drones Standard, GG 954 Drones Operations, which replaces the existing policy and contains requirements over and above those defined by the Civil Aviation Authority.
It also aligns with the company-wide GG 104 standard, which National Highways said will ensure that the use of drones is safer, or at least as safe as, the existing way of undertaking an activity.
