As it was under the Roman Emperor Augustus

Around the year 6 B.C., Emperor Augustus is said to have ordered that all residents of the Roman Empire be recorded by name in lists. Such a census is said to have served the purpose of tax collection.

According to its draft drone regulations, the EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) requires that model aircraft pilots be registered (which currently costs 26.75 EUR in Germany—disguised as a so-called “certificate of competence” obtained through an online test).

The regulation prohibiting our models from flying higher than 120 meters—with certain zones designated for model flying clubs as exceptions—must be challenged. This would effectively amount to compulsory membership, which, while unconstitutional, is continually accepted by our politicians as a result of a flood of EU regulations.

Keep your hands off any permitting procedures! Whether it’s for certain model airplanes, slope-soaring sites, or a strip of grass for takeoff and landing; for a nice thermal flight above 120 meters. More regulations generally do nothing to increase safety. Quite the contrary. For Swiss model aviators, the VLK (DEVEC Ordinance on Special Categories of Aircraft) has regulated model aviation for decades—only where necessary. Minor adjustments related to newer technologies have been made without bureaucratic hurdles. More extensive permitting procedures would trigger a cascade of new regulations and inspections. Policymakers must unequivocally support the existing provisions of the VLK.

Anyone who thinks it’s only public employees at government and international regulatory agencies who are making life difficult for us model aircraft enthusiasts needs to think again: For example, the U.S. FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) has granted online retailer Amazon permission to conduct tests for package-delivery drones. The agency was reluctant to do so, but Amazon ramped up the pressure on the government and threatened to move the development of these devices overseas (as we’ve seen in our own country—threats like that always work!). The company is demanding its own airspace for package drones at altitudes ranging from 61 to 122 meters above ground level. Drones in the logistics sector are likely to see rather limited use here. In addition to Amazon, companies like Swiss Post, DHL, Mercedes, Alibaba, and others are also working on this—not to mention the “air taxis,” which will demand their own airspace. This makes it quite clear to me just how highly commercial the context is—and will continue to be. After the “security war,” we’ll see a second front emerge over the more powerful users of lower airspace.

The battle over lower airspace is likely to keep us busy for many years to come. Our authorities are under no obligation to tighten the VLK, as it has proven itself in every respect. However, since other future airspace users with significant economic interests will exert pressure on the DETEC to enforce EU regulations, we must take political action today. We must ensure that our politicians—and thus the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA)—do not cave in. Now more than ever, we need to act wisely.