We don't however, accept drone flyers as members (and maybe that's a shame), simply because the full-size flyers trust the model flyers (helicopter and fixed wing) to know the rules and stick to them. With the bad publicity surrounding drones, we simply can't take the risk of alienating our neighbours.
Out of interest how do you define the difference between a drone and a model? Is it as simple that a model looks like a proper aircraft albeit sometimes an imagined one? Or is it more subtle?
Well done, you've hit the nail bang on the head. No-one has been able to come up with a legally-watertight definition - so up until recently we model flyers were staring down the barrel of the end of model flying as we've always known it in the UK - r/c, free flight, nearly everything. Fortunately, sense was eventually seen and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) was persuaded that legitimate model flying has been a safe pastime for thousands of people for getting on for a century. It was only the drones that were causing a problem. Indeed, there are a number of model flying clubs in the UK that occupy the same general space as full-size light aviation clubs, all without difficulty.
EASA has recognised that since legitimate model flying was shown to be historically safe, the national regulators could continue to do what they have always done wrt model flying - in this case the CAA regulates model flying. It may come as a surprise, but regs that apply to 747s also apply to model flying, where relevant. In general, model flyers in the UK will belong to a club, or at least be members of the British Model Flying Association (the BMFA). Generally, clubs are affiliated to the BMFA, who provide insurance and back-up in case of matters concerning the CAA and the law. There are around 70,000 members of the BMFA.
EASA recognised that to be able to fly an r/c model, you'll probably have bought the aeroplane from a shop and you will have been given advice as to how to go about learning to fly it. Believe me, you are very, very unlikely to learn by yourself. You will be gently pushed towards a club where you will learn how to fly and, more importantly, learn how to fly safely and in accordance with the law.
EASA was persuaded of the value of this historical approach and has exempted model flyers, who are members of the BMFA or recognised clubs, from the drone regs which come into force next November. Make no mistake, these are draconian. Hundreds of thousands of drone flyers are going to fall foul of the regs. It was, however, squeaky bum time for the model flying community for many months until recently.
Model flyers in the USA, for example, may not be so lucky. Their FAA draft regs are draconian, and AIUI could be a severe restaint on model flying. I understand that the FAA has had to re-visit the draft regs, but as yet nothing has been decided.
It all comes back to the difficulty of determining what is a drone in law. Say you call it a multi-rotor r/c aeroplane. What do you do then about model Chinook flyers? (Not that there are that many). Or an on-board camera? Some model flyers have a camera and fly though a headset - that's covered by the BMFA rules, which require an observer to stand alongside the model pilot whist flying via the headset. OK, try a weight limit. EASA require any drone over 250g to be registered and only flown by someone over 18. There are very few model aeroplanes under that weight, and those that there are are mostly flown indoors in sports hall, in competitions. Most will be in the 3 to 5kg band. Over 7kg, additional regs apply to models, and over 20kg the CAA is involved in scrutineering for airworthiness.
Age limit then maybe? OK, what about the thousands of kids that learn to fly, and then go on to build their own models, learning valuable skills and the ability to make and mend things.
Finally, the 400ft limit gives the model glider flyers a problem. Launch off a cliff, or the top of a hill, and you'll quickly be >400ft above the ground. AFAIK there have been no incidents of model gliders threatening full-size aircraft.
The inability to define a drone in law has been the focus of hundreds of regulators across the EU for a couple of years now. Fortunately, sense has prevailed and the Regs as drafted recognise that it's not the legitimate model flyers who are causing the problem, but those who can buy a drone over the internet, set it up to fly itself, and then breach the exisiting laws without knowing that there even were laws that they needed to know about.
TheLurker OTP may be along shortly - he flies much smaller models than me (because he's a much more skilled modeller!), but some will be over the 250g limit that would have applied.
So, PaulF, your question was very well put and poses a significant problem in law.
