RAMS | Project Universal

Document Purpose

This RAMS is intended for general commercial drone use, including aerial filming, photography, inspections of a low-complexity nature, and social media content capture in public or semi-public environments such as parks, streets, promenades, open land, and similar non-restricted locations.

It is not tied to a specific client, site, or project. It is designed to provide a baseline operational framework that can be adapted where a location, airspace, crowd profile, land access issue, or other factor requires additional controls.

Regulatory Framework

Operations should be conducted in accordance with the current UK Civil Aviation Authority framework, including CAP 722, the UK Drone and Model Aircraft Code, and the Open Category rules applicable to the aircraft, class mark, and planned flight.

Open Category operations in A1, A2, or A3 as applicable to the aircraft and task
Maximum operating height of 120 metres (400 feet) above the surface
Visual Line of Sight maintained at all times
Required Flyer ID held by the remote pilot where applicable
Required Operator ID held, current, and displayed on the aircraft where applicable
Valid commercial drone insurance held in line with applicable UK requirements for the operation

This document assumes routine low-risk work only. Flights outside the Open Category, operations in restricted airspace, or flights needing specific operational authorisation require further planning and additional documentation.

Generic Concept of Operations

Typical missions involve aerial filming or photography using a sub-250g aircraft such as a DJI Mini series drone, or a small commercial drone under 25kg, operating in outdoor public spaces where uninvolved persons may be present nearby.

Crew composition: Pilot in Command, with an optional Visual Observer where useful
Flight envelope: up to 120m altitude, within unaided VLOS, over a normal battery cycle
Typical activity: short-duration launches, controlled repositioning, image capture, and recovery
Operational focus: avoid crowds, manage proximity to the public, and retain immediate landing options

Risk Assessment

Hazard	Risk Description	Likelihood	Severity	Mitigation Measures	Residual Risk
Collision with uninvolved persons	Aircraft strikes or startles a member of the public during take-off, landing, or manoeuvring.	Medium	High	Use dynamic on-site assessment, maintain appropriate separation for the category and aircraft type, avoid overflight of crowds, reposition or pause flight if people approach unexpectedly.	Low
Loss of control / flyaway	Aircraft becomes unresponsive or departs the intended operating area.	Low	High	Pre-flight checks, current firmware, compass/GNSS checks, suitable RTH settings, conservative flight profile, immediate descent or recovery action if control quality degrades.	Low
GPS signal loss	Reduced positional stability or degraded navigation performance.	Medium	Medium	Wait for strong satellite lock before departure, avoid poor signal environments where practical, understand aircraft behaviour in non-GPS modes, keep sufficient clearance for manual recovery.	Low
Battery failure	Rapid voltage drop, battery error, or premature low-power event leading to forced landing.	Low	High	Use healthy charged batteries only, check cell condition, avoid overextending battery cycle, land with suitable reserve, protect batteries from temperature extremes.	Low
Sudden weather changes	Wind gusts, rain, or reduced visibility affect controllability or safe recovery.	Medium	High	Check forecast and on-site conditions, define maximum safe wind limits for the aircraft, do not launch in precipitation, abort immediately if weather deteriorates.	Low
Airspace infringement	Flight enters restricted, controlled, or otherwise unsuitable airspace.	Low	High	Check NOTAMs and airspace status using recognised tools such as Drone Assist or Altitude Angel, review nearby aerodromes and restrictions before launch, do not fly without required permission.	Low
Signal interference (RF)	Interference affects command, control, or video link quality.	Medium	Medium	Avoid congested RF environments where possible, monitor telemetry, maintain conservative range, and be prepared to recover immediately if signal quality degrades.	Low
Equipment malfunction	Propulsion, sensor, controller, or payload issue compromises safe flight.	Low	High	Full pre-flight inspection, scheduled maintenance, propeller condition checks, and withdrawal of any damaged or suspect equipment from service.	Low
Wildlife interference	Birds or other wildlife react aggressively to the aircraft.	Medium	Medium	Scan for birds before launch, avoid nesting areas where known, climb or descend only when safe, and land immediately if wildlife interaction creates elevated risk.	Low
Public interaction / distraction	Questions, curiosity, or confrontation distract the remote pilot during critical phases.	Medium	Medium	Use an observer where appropriate, keep take-off area controlled, politely defer non-essential interaction until after landing, and terminate flight if concentration is affected.	Low
Privacy concerns	Public concern or complaint regarding filming, recording, or use of captured imagery.	Medium	Medium	Avoid intrusive filming, collect only necessary footage, consider signage or verbal explanation where appropriate, and manage recorded material in line with privacy and data protection obligations.	Low
Low-flying aircraft conflict	Helicopter or other aircraft enters the area during operations.	Low	High	Maintain full awareness of surrounding airspace, descend and land immediately if aircraft activity presents conflict risk, and never assume right of way over manned aviation.	Low

Method Statement

Phase 1: Pre-Planning

Check airspace, NOTAMs, proximity to aerodromes, and any local restrictions using recognised flight-planning tools. Review weather, visibility, precipitation risk, and aircraft wind limitations before travelling.

Phase 2: Equipment and Pre-Flight

Inspect aircraft, controller, batteries, propellers, payload, and firmware status. Confirm GPS lock, return-to-home settings, battery health, memory capacity, and required IDs and insurance documents.

Phase 3: On-Site Setup

Select a safe take-off and landing area, maintain a suitable buffer from people, assess current public activity, and use a Visual Observer where the environment or task complexity justifies it.

Phase 4: Flight and Recovery

Maintain VLOS, monitor surroundings continuously, avoid crowds and unnecessary overflight of people, remain ready to land immediately if risk increases, then complete a safe shutdown and post-flight equipment check.

Step-by-Step Operational Workflow

Review task scope, aircraft suitability, and required competence level before departure
Check airspace, NOTAMs, nearby aerodromes, and any local restrictions using current recognised tools
Assess weather for wind, gusts, rain, and visibility against the aircraft’s practical operating limits
Inspect aircraft, propellers, controller, batteries, firmware status, and failsafe settings
Confirm Flyer ID, Operator ID, and insurance status where applicable
Carry out a live on-site dynamic risk assessment before launch
Select a safe take-off and landing area with immediate contingency space
Maintain safe distances from uninvolved persons, vehicles, and structures
Inform nearby persons where this assists safety or reduces confusion
Use an observer if required by the environment, workload, or public activity level
Maintain VLOS at all times and monitor the surrounding airspace continuously
Be ready to pause, reposition, or land immediately if the risk profile changes
Complete safe shutdown, inspect batteries and aircraft post-flight, and record any incident or near miss

Emergency Procedures

Loss of control: initiate return-to-home if functioning, or controlled descent and landing in the safest available area
Loss of GPS: switch to manual stabilisation or equivalent assisted mode where possible and land without delay
Flyaway: maintain visual track where possible, warn persons at risk, and prioritise reducing risk to the public over equipment recovery
Crash: secure the area immediately, assess for injury or damage, isolate batteries if safe, and record the occurrence
Airspace conflict: descend and land immediately if any low-flying aircraft or conflict risk is identified
Low battery: terminate the task and land at the earliest safe opportunity with contingency margin preserved

Safety Measures and Controls

Minimum separation distances managed according to the applicable Open Category rules and aircraft characteristics
No overflight of crowds and no operation in congested situations that remove safe recovery options
Dynamic risk assessment used throughout the flight, not just before launch
Ability to pause, reposition, or abort the flight immediately if public presence changes
Return-to-home and geofencing settings checked before launch where supported by the aircraft
Propeller guards considered where appropriate for the aircraft and task, particularly in close-quarter low-risk setups
Maximum safe wind speed determined conservatively by aircraft capability and pilot judgement
Take-off and landing area kept as sterile and controlled as reasonably practicable

Public and Legal Considerations

Respect privacy and avoid intrusive filming of individuals where there is no clear operational reason
Handle recorded footage with awareness of UK data protection and GDPR-related obligations
Avoid nuisance, alarm, or unnecessary disturbance to the public
Obtain landowner or occupier permission where take-off, landing, or site access requires it
Remember that aviation compliance does not automatically remove the need to consider trespass, privacy, or local site rules

Important Note

This is a generic operational RAMS for routine UK drone work in public outdoor areas. It does not remove the need for a live on-site assessment, and it should be updated or supplemented where the environment, aircraft type, crowd density, airspace, or nature of the activity introduces additional risk.

Source basis used for this page includes current UK Civil Aviation Authority guidance on the Drone Code, Flyer ID and Operator ID requirements, CAP 722, and UK aircraft insurance requirements. This page is operational guidance, not legal advice.