Updates to Specific Category Operations: Pre-defined Risk Assessment Requirements, Guidance & Policy (CAP722H)

The CAA has now published an updated version of CAP722H Specific Category Operations: Pre-defined Risk Assessment Requirements, Guidance & Policy. Changes to the original text include updates to the risk assessment methodology, improving consistency with CAP 722A. In addition, other administrative changes have been made to enhance ease of use.

Updates to CAP722H have been made following stakeholder feedback and we thank members of the community, RAEs and stakeholder groups for their assistance in updating this latest version.

Conditions for operating under a PDRA01 authorisation have not been substantively changed in this update. However, fresh clarifications, notes and updates have been made to the PDRA template authorisation and current holders should familiarise themselves with the updated content.

Review of PDRA01

The CAA will review PDRA01 to prepare it for inclusion in the project that will deliver the digitisation of applications in the specific category. This will make the application process quicker and easier for operators. The review will also explore better ways for operators to mitigate the risk of their operations to uninvolved persons. We are reviewing the privileges of PDRA01 as part of our adoption of the Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA) methodology.

SORA will change the way we look at assessing safety risk in unmanned operations, and is aimed at assisting operators to mitigate potential risk in their operations more effectively and efficiently. It is our intention to assess PDRA01 and future PDRAs using this new methodology to ensure they remain safe and appropriate for future operations. We also want to make sure the operational conditions for PDRA01 are still appropriate for the evolving industry use cases.

This review is being progressed as a priority and safety will come first in our decision making. It will make use of any available evidence which may include, but is not limited to, recent academic analysis, accident reports and the practices of other regulators from across the world. We will work with the newly formed RPAS Safety Leadership Group (SLG) and RAEs and ensure that the RPAS industry is appropriately represented in the upcoming review of PDRA01.

Whilst the review of PDRA01 is conducted, operators should continue to submit renewal applications in the usual way and fly in accordance with the conditions of their operational authorisations. We continue to recommend that all operators fly defensively and avoid the deliberate overflight of uninvolved people where possible. More guidance can be found in CAP722 section 2.1.5.1.

If you have any questions or comments at this early stage of the review, please direct these to our dedicated email address: [email protected]