New Rules for Drones to Come into Force around Five Airports Soon

Bratislava, 23 March (TASR) - As of 31 March, new rules for unmanned aircraft will come into force in the vicinity of five Slovak airports - Bratislava, Kosice, Poprad, Piestany and Zilina - requiring compliance with declared prohibitions or restrictions, Transport Ministry spokesperson Petra Polacikova announced on Monday, citing the increasing number of unmanned aircraft flights in these areas as the reason. The new rules were developed via cooperation between state authorities and the air navigation service provider, taking into account EU regulations, aviation needs and technological developments, said Polacikova. "I'm pleased that we've managed to create these rules. I expect that if they are followed, pilots of 'classic' aircraft arriving at or departing from our controlled airports shouldn't feel threatened. I'd also be glad if these rules helped to simplify the performance of certain aviation activities by aviation professionals," stated Transport Ministry State Secretary Igor Choma, who concurrently serves as chair of the permanent inter-departmental committee that drew up the rules. The new measures include, for example, not only a reduction in the distance from the airport centre within which coordination is required, but also the option to conduct flights beyond direct visual contact, provided such operations are permitted and meet the specified conditions. For civilian flights requiring coordination with the control tower, a clear deadline for flight notification has been set: it must be submitted no later than 24 hours in advance. "I view the systematic delineation of geographical zones for unmanned aircraft around civil airports in Slovakia very positively. Such an approach brings clear rules to an environment that has so far become increasingly challenging to control from a safety perspective. It is crucial for us for airspace to be managed in a predictable and safe manner, and these measures will significantly contribute to this," said Nofal Kattan, director of the Defence Ministry's Military Aviation Office. Concerning Bratislava airport, the declared ban on civilian unmanned aircraft flights has been adjusted by reducing the distance from the airport centre within which the ban applies. The complete new rules are available on the Transport Ministry's website. ko/df