The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is hosting its first global RPAS Symposium titled “Remotely piloted or piloted: sharing one aerospace system”, which will take place from 23 to 25 March 2015 at ICAO headquarters in Montreal, Canada. The intent of this symposium is to share amongst States (regulatory representatives), industry and stakeholders:
- On-going development of the global regulatory framework
- Industry’s vision of future operations
- Regulatory and oversight challenges faced by States
- Airspace and aerodrome integration issues
- Research and development activities
A significant part of the symposium will be devoted to technical workshops. In these workshops ICAO material will be presented along with material from national authorities, industry and other stakeholders. The RPAS Manual (a guidance document for regulatory authorities), produced by the UAS Study Group, will be made public at this symposium.
It is the expectation that 800 to 1200 persons will attend this event.
UVS International is proud to have been requested to assist ICAO with the preparation of the symposium programme and has contributed to the organization of the flight demonstrations that will take place.
All information relative to participation in the conference, the conference programme, exhibition possibilities, and the sponsorship opportunities can be found on the ICAO web site.
Attendance is open to all interested parties.
About ICAO
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), is a specialized agency of the United Nations, that:
• Was created in 1944 to promote the safe and orderly development of international civil aviation throughout the world.
• Sets standards and regulations that are necessary for aviation safety, security, efficiency and regularity, as well as for aviation environmental protection.
• Serves as the forum for cooperation in all fields of civil aviation among its 191 Member States.
ICAO’s function, in accordance with Article 37 of the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation, is to achieve “the highest practicable degree of uniformity in regulations, standards, procedures and organization in relation to aircraft, personnel, airways and auxiliary services in all matters in which such uniformity will facilitate and improve air navigation”.
SARPs are published by ICAO in the form of Annexes to Chicago Convention. SARPs do not have the same legal binding force as the Convention itself, because Annexes are not international treaties. Moreover States agreed to “undertake to collaborate in securing (…) uniformity”, not to “comply with”. Each Contracting State may notify the ICAO Council of differences between SARPs and its own regulations and practices. Those differences are published in the form of Supplements to Annexes.
A Standard is defined by ICAO as “any specification for physical characteristics, configuration, material, performance, personnel or procedure, the uniform application of which is recognized as necessary for the safety or regularity of international air navigation and to which Contracting States will conform in accordance with the Convention”.
A Recommended Practice is defined by ICAO as “any specification for physical characteristics, configuration, material, performance, personnel or procedure, the uniform application of which is recognized as desirable in the interest of safety, regularity or efficiency of international air navigation and to which Contracting States will endeavour to conform in accordance with the Convention”.
In this context, ICAO started up the UAS Study Group, which produced the RPAS Manual. The UAS Study Group has now been replaced by the RPAS Panel.