Questionnaire on accessibility of the European Market (answers)
Company Name
BB Stratus Ltd
Division/Department
Aerial Imagery
Street address
The Village Farmhouse
City
Middleton Tyas
Postal Code
DL10 6PY
Country
UK
Web Site
www.bbstratus.com
Name of Contact Person
Angus Benson-Blair
Tel
44-7858-51.68.94
Cell phone
Email address
angus@bbstratus.com
1. Please, briefly describe your company (size, country, etc) and its activities in the field of RPAS
(manufacturer/operator, fields of activities, etc).
We mainly operate sub 20kg RPAS for film/tv, agriculture and surveying. We build limited aircraft
2. Are you already active outside your national market or do you plan, in the short term, to
expanding your business internationally?
Our first job outside our national market is due very shortly. I am keen to expand beyond national
boundaries
3. In which countries are you (or do you plan to be) active?
Certainly within European states but ideally globally.
4. Do you face difficulties to expand your business on your national market? If yes, please describe.
Expansion in national market is not an issue currently due to the immaturity of the RPAS industry
however this is getting harder by the day as more people join offering similar products and services.
5. If a national RPAS safety regulation is already in place in your home country, does it cover your
current needs?
Yes, very well.
6. Is the information about the relevant regulations (safety, but also insurance, privacy, etc) and are
the related procedures easy to access and to understand?
The regulations for safety are easy to understand. Privacy to a degree less so and insurance wise not
so easy
7. Is the flight authorization process working in a satisfactory manner?
Yes. For a non standard flight request I have had turn around in approx 5 working days
8. Are any further regulatory measures (in the area of safety, but also privacy, etc.) to be taken to
support the development of your business on your national market?
Not that I am aware of although the legislative side of the industry is developing as quickly as the
market is.
9. What other measures would help developing your business?
Having a very clear and ideally harmonized set of regulations across Europe WITHOUT getting
bogged down in red tape. For what it is worth I feel that the CAA's approach has been exceptional and
provides an ideal model from which others could base their regulations on. It appears to have taken
the approach of enabling operators with the minimum requirements in order to allow safe operations.
10. If you are active in other EU MS, please, describe your experience (problems, difficulties, good
practice, administrative procedures, etc)?.
The hardest problem is finding out what regulations are required in order to operate legally. Not just in
terms of the aircraft but also things like radio frequency and power.
11. What are the external factors limiting the expansion of your activities in other EU MS (regulation,
insurance, financial support, IPR, etc)?
No others that I am currently aware of
12. Do you face, in particular, difficulties to access/understand relevant regulations and/or
procedures?
Yes
13. What type of support would be the most needed to help internationalization of your activities to
other EU MS (translation of the regulation, practical information about procedures (contacts, cost,
duration …), tutorial, helpdesk/advise, on-line training, etc.)?
A centralized area from which all relevant information can be accessed without the need for
translation.
14. Do you consider that harmonized or common European rules would facilitate access to other
national markets and boost the development of a true European market?
Yes, unquestionably.
15. If you are active outside Europe, please explain why (and eventually why you are not active in
Europe).
NA
16. Are there any external factors limiting the expansion of your activities on the global market?
I have yet to try operating outside of Europe
17. What type of support might help? 18. Did you come across any good practices (outside Europe)
that could be introduced in Europe?
The ability to quickly access the relevant regulations to ensure legal use in the specific country
18. Did you come across any good practices (outside Europe) that could be introduced in Europe?
NA