The French government is funding a five-month study into the legal framework necessary for the use of small unmanned air vehicles by its domestic security forces.
Contracted out to the consulting arm of Netherlands-based Unmanned Vehicle Systems (UVS) International, a non-profit trade body, the study will include a detailed analysis of the existing legal framework. The French government is interested in UAVs lighter than 150kg (330lb).
The study is also to provide recommendations on a legal solution that will permit the operation in the medium term and technical guidelines on how to deploy what is described as a "light unmanned air system" within France.
"UVS International is proud to have been selected by the French ministry of interior to conduct this study," says the organisation's president, Peter van Blyenburgh.
The French government bodies involved are the ministry of defence, the Direction Générale de la Police Nationale and the Services des Technologies de la Sécurité Interieur.
Started in 1995 under the name Euro UVS, the organisation changed its name in 2004 and UVS International now has 262 corporate and institutional members in 35 countries.
Source: Flight International
