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UTILITY WEEK | OCTOBER 2020 | 41 Operational Excellence Flying BVLOS would allow broader catch- ment area inspections to monitor the health of assets around reservoirs and feed data back with up-to-date visuals to spot any potential problems developing. "Some of the current maps could be sev- eral years old but being able to fly in large areas around those reservoirs could bring that information up to date. The knock-on effect of that is water quality improvement in the reservoirs and that would have a positive effect on how we treat water." While recognising the potential of BVLOS drone operation, the CAA says such a change is several years away because it requires technological advancements both for drone sensors and for other airspace users. Jonathan Nicholson, a spokesman for the CAA, says it comes down to how to safely integrate the drones with everything else in the air – from light aircra, military or emer- gency services helicopters, parachutists, par- agliders and everything in between. "Everyone involved in drones and air- space around the world is working on how to change that. If we're going to maximise the potential of drones, we need them operat- ing beyond the operator's line of sight and autonomously as well." He says most activities people want to fly BVLOS for would be in uncontrolled airspace – not adjacent to or above an airfield. This means the airspace is not being monitored by air traffic controllers and there are currently no requirements for airspace users to have an electrical system or even a radio. Without detection equipment there could be collisions with unmanned aircra. So the challenge is to equip all drones with sense-and-avoid technology, or all the other airspace users to emit a signal informing drones of their presence. Nicholson says: "A way to get beyond visual line of sight would be for everything in the air to emit a signal that can be detected by other air users. The drone could pick that up using GPS and can avoid it. That is the obvi- ous way to fly beyond visual line of sight." But he admits the technology is not there yet and that, even once it is, there will need to be ample testing before regulators accept it and create appropriate procedures and rules for users to follow. He says this is still several years away. "When we reach that place, from a safety point of view, beyond visual line of sight will happen without having to think twice about it," Nicholson insists. "But the technology, safety, procedures and rules all need to come together first." Ruth Williams, water correspondent "The drones that are available on the commercial market are fantastic and offer lots of potential for the water industry." GREG BARRETT, PROJECT ENGINEER, SEVEN TRENT "If we're going to maximise the potential of drones, we need them operating beyond the operator's line of sight and autonomously as well." JONATHAN NICHOLSON, SPOKESMAN, CAA One of Severn Trent's drones in action Camera-equipped drones can carry out detailed visual inspections Northumberland Water's Greg Barrett will speak at Utility Week Live Online (see p36 for more details)