Airspace restrictions – are you aware of the rules?

After 1 January 2021, all types of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in the open category within classes C1-C3 must be equipped with a geo-awareness-function. The idea of this function is that you, as a remote pilot, shall be able to get information about restrictions in the airspace in relation to your drone's position and altitude. In addition, the geo-awareness function can alert you to violations of the airspace. However, as the remote pilot, you are always fully responsible for ensuring that your flight is carried out in a safe way and in accordance with the rules.

Geo-fence and geo-cage to protect

Some areas with flight restrictions are protected by a geo-fence. A geo-fence is like a virtual fence in the airspace, which simply cannot be crossed by drones.

A geo-cage works in the opposite way. Instead of keeping the drone outside the area, it keeps the drone inside, like a virtual cage in the airspace.

NOTAM – a must

NOTAM is short for Notice To Airmen. It is a service that regularly publishes important information about what is going on in the airspace, in order to alert pilots to risks that may affect their flight route. NOTAM is intended for all types of pilots, and a must also if you fly drones in the open category, allowing you to take into account any warnings and areas with flight restrictions while planning your route.

• The valid NOTAM list is available on the ANS Finland Oy Pre-flight Aeronautical Information Services website: https://www.ais.fi/ais/bulletins/.
• More information on the NOTAM list is available in the Pre-flight information bulletin: https://www.ais.fi/en/pre-flight-information-bulletins
• NOTAM bulletins often use abbreviations. Aeronautical Information Services has published information on abbreviations in the Aeronautical Information Publication: https://www.ais.fi/eaip/currently_effective/index.html, see section GEN 2.2 Abbreviations.

AIP – gives important information

AIP (Aeronautical Information Publication) is published by each state and contains information which is essential to aviation and will be relevant for some time. You should read the AIP before you start flying. Most countries publish a national AIP with information about the conditions of flying to, from or above the airspace and airports of different countries.

In Finland, the AIP is published by the Finntrafic Aeronautical Information Services: https://www.ais.fi/eaip/.

AIP may be updated as frequently as every four weeks, but in practice, the information is updated less frequently in Finland. The AIP update is published approximately three weeks before the update takes effect. You can find the most recent information on the Aeronautical Information. You can find the most recent information on the Aeronautical Information Services website: https://www.ais.fi/eaip/

AIP also includes supplements (AIP SUPPLEMENT) published when necessary. These supplements contain important, temporary bulletins on airspace restrictions, for example, including a map supplement on the area that the restriction is applied to. Valid AIP supplements are available at:https://www.ais.fi/ais/aipsup/AipSup.htm (In Finnish)

Maps to read before and during flight

You can use web-based map services in addition to NOTAM and AIP to check the status of the route you are planning. www.flyk.com is a private service provider offering almost real-time information on Finnish airspace and helping you make decisions on the safe execution of your flight. You can use the service to review your chosen locations and any restrictions applied to those locations. The service contains several map templates, which can also be used to display various nature reserves. It is not forbidden to fly over nature reserves, but disturbing nature and wild animals is prohibited.