EASA has published “Guidelines on Noise Measurement of Unmanned Aircraft Systems lighter than 600kg Operating in the Specific Category (Low and Medium Risk)” for public consultation.
Described as being “guidelines for the measurement of the noise of Unmanned Aircraft (UA) with an MTOM lower than 600 kg” and “offered to be used for measuring the noise of UA operated in the specific category. Manufacturers or operators may voluntary measure noise according to these guidelines and provide the data to EASA.”
Stakeholders are invited to comment on these Guidelines in order to ensure they are fit for purpose at http://hub.easa.europa.eu/crt/.
In its introduction the report says “In 2018, a new Basic Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2018/1139) was adopted, followed by the new European Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 (which became applicable on 31 December 2020) and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/945 (which became applicable on 1 July 2019). These documents set the new UAS regulatory framework, which is a proportional risk-based approach to UAS. Its pillar is the identification of three categories of operation: ‘open’, ‘specific’ and ‘certified’.
“Regulation (EU) 2019/945 includes noise requirements through the CE marking for a limited number of UAS operations (for the ‘open’ category and for the ‘specific’ category for operations complying with a standard scenario).
“For operations in the ‘specific’ category, an operational authorization issued by the competent authority of registration is required, unless the operation is covered by a standard scenario. These guidelines can be used, where deemed appropriate by the competent authorities, to assess noise emissions when issuing the operational authorization for UAS operating in the ‘specific’ category (low and medium risk). They provide a consistent method for measuring the noise of Unmanned Aircraft (UA) with an MTOM lower than 600 kg. This method can be applied on various UA designs (multicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, powered-lift aircraft and more) and caters for two procedures: a level-flight, and for the UA designs that allow stationary flight, a hover flight.”
For more information
Guidelines to establish the noise levels of drones below 600 kg
http://hub.easa.europa.eu/crt/
(Image: EASA)