Den svenska drönarregleringen ur ett flygsäkerhetsperspektiv

Sammanfattning: In recent years, drones have increased in popularity. They create many opportunities, but drones also cause disruption to traditional aviation. The number of drone-related incidents around the world has increased steadily, and many consider it only a matter of time before a serious accident occurs. Aviation has been carefully regulated for a long time with several jurisdictions of regulations, but the number of incidents has shown that the system is not adapted to the number of drones we see today. As there is no international regulation it is up to each state to decide on their drone regulation, and in Sweden a new regulation was enacted in the beginning of 2018. By putting the new regulation against the regulation of traditional aviation and comparing the provisions with each other, one can investigate whether applicable legislation is sufficient to achieve satisfactory aviation safety. The drone regulation adjusts the rules by type of drone and operation, which means that exceptions from traditional aviation rules are given to simpler drones, while more advanced drones must comply with traditional aviation regulations. This is in line with the Transport Agency's goal that legislation should not impact technological development as long as it does not affect aviation safety, but the regulation can still be seen as limiting for drones as it prioritizes traditional aviation. From an air safety perspective, this is reasonable, as an overly generous regulation could increase the risk of serious incidents or accidents. In conclusion, it is a proportional regulation that considers both sides' interests. The problems that arise with drones in airspace are more likely a result of drone pilots not complying with the rules, rather than an insufficient regulation.