Two digital platforms to assist both recreational and professional drone users in their activities have been developing by Belgocontrol and the Belgian Civil Aviation Authority (BCAA) and the Unifly company. The applications will go live by the end of this year.
During the past year Belgocontrol (an autonomous public company, created in October 1998, with the mission to guarantee the safety of air navigation in the Belgium airspace) and BCAA joined forces to take measures for managing drone traffic in Belgium. They want to create a clear framework based on the legislation in force.
The first step is collecting digitally all information on the use of drones on national level. A first application will result in a website for the general public where a map will play a key role. This map indicates all areas that are prohibited for drones (temporary or permanent). The website also provides general information and useful links, and should already go live this spring.
Besides the map functionality, a mobile app will offer a number of practical features. The recreational drone users will be able to to indicate when they will start and stop their flight. The app will also provide all kinds of aeronautical information needed to plan a flight. The extra functionalities should be available to professional drone users by the end of this year.