The Agency for the Provision of Air Navigation Services of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BHANSA) has prepared an operational plan in response to the security risks brought by the accelerated growth of unmanned aircraft traffic, the Agency announced.
As pointed out in today’s press release from the BHANSA Public Relations Office, the Agency previously informed the competent institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina about these risks and the need for a timely institutional response, and how important this issue is for the future of European airspace was also confirmed at the 4th Sarajevo Security Conference.
On that occasion, the head of EUROCONTROL’s Civil-Military Cooperation Department and military advisor to the director general of this organization, Major General Karsten Stoye, warned that the growing number of unmanned aircraft at lower altitudes will represent one of the biggest new challenges for the security and resilience of European airspace in the next five years.
Responding to that challenge, Stoye emphasized, requires close cooperation between civil and military aviation authorities, law enforcement agencies, industry and European organizations.
In this context, BHANSA has prepared an operational plan that envisages action in two parallel phases.
The first is focused on safety, detection and implementation of the necessary measures, while the second involves the establishment of the U-space system that will enable safe and orderly management of unmanned aircraft traffic.
“What we hear today as one of the important issues of European airspace security, BHANSA has recognized earlier and is already working on it. We have a prepared operational response and the necessary technical and professional readiness. Now it is necessary to take the next institutional step that will enable the full development of the system. The necessary legal solutions have been prepared and we believe that Bosnia and Herzegovina should not wait with their adoption,” said BHANSA Director Davorin Primorac.
As emphasized in the Agency’s statement, in order to establish the U-space system, it is necessary to amend the Law on Aviation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Law on the Agency for the Provision of Air Navigation Services of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This would clearly define the competences and powers for detection and implementation of measures and provide a legal basis for the provision of unmanned aircraft traffic management services in accordance with European regulations.
BHANSA, in cooperation with the Ministry of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Directorate for Civil Aviation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BHDCA), has already developed and harmonized the necessary legal solutions, which are awaiting adoption.
As BHANSA points out, the goal is for Bosnia and Herzegovina to finally get a system that will enable the safe and orderly inclusion of an increasing number of unmanned aircraft in its airspace, in accordance with European standards and practices.
