UAS Regulation in Belgium

The current regulatory framework for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) is a relatively recent phenomenon. Many countries have attempted to provide a comprehensive set of rules, and many have in the meantime modified their regulation to keep up with the technical evolution and seemingly infinite applications for which Unmanned Aircraft Systems can be used. In 2016, the Belgian legislator has issued its first regulation specifically dedicated to Unmanned Aircraft Systems. As a result of establishing regulation on a national level, the European Union became a regulatory patchwork, in contrast with the otherwise unified regulatory framework for civil manned aviation. The Royal Decree that was issued in 2016 has in the meantime been repealed. As a member of the European Union, Belgium now applies the relatively recently developed European regulation. However, member states have at the same time maintained the competency to still regulate certain aspects of operations with UAS. This article delivers the perspective of a Belgian aviation lawyer in an attempt by the author to situate the UAS regulation, explain the status quo, and answer the question whether the Belgian regulatory framework meets the needs of this rapidly developing industry.