Civilian Use of Drones (EUC Report)

Lord Jay of Ewelme Excerpts

Tuesday 8th September 2015 Lords Chamber

[Lord Jay of Ewelme (CB)]

My Lords, I was not part of the sub-committee that drafted this excellent report, but I think the subject is of huge importance and want to intervene briefly in the debate.

The image that many people have of drones today is, I suspect, either of military weapons such as those used recently in Syria, which do indeed raise some very fundamental questions about the rules of conflict and war, or of irresponsibly flown drones getting too close to aircraft, as the noble Earl mentioned a little while ago. The merit of this excellent report is that it focuses on the rather less well-known subject of civilian drones, which, to many of us, may still seem rather alien but will, in about 10 years’ time, seem as familiar and have as important a role in our lives, one way or another, as mobile phones and iPhones do today, as the noble Lord, Lord Giddens, said.

The advantages that drones can bring are huge in all sorts of ways: connecting remote communities and islands, mapping, land surveys, monitoring accidents or fires, looking for missing or injured people, providing medical help, as was mentioned some time ago, and, of course, for the leisure industry. However, there are disadvantages—or potential disadvantages—too: excessive or unauthorised surveillance, intrusion and disturbance. These have led some people even to argue that perhaps drones should be banned or, in some way or another, limited. I think that that is not technologically possible—when a technology such as this exists, it is going to be used and exploited. So the questions become how it should be regulated, by whom it should be regulated and in what way it should be regulated.

Given that drones can, do and will continue to fly across borders, it seems to me that they need to be regulated, at least as far as we are concerned, in the context of the European Union—European-level regulation seems necessary and desirable. It is essential that that regulation focuses on what needs to be done to deal with and discourage the risks and does not discourage the innovation and investment that will be needed as civilian drones—if I may use the expression—really do take off; otherwise, we shall find that it is not Europe or the United Kingdom but the US, China, India or elsewhere that becomes the market leader in drones. That is not something that we should in any way accept.

I have tried to avoid acronyms when speaking today, but one acronym, JARUS, seems to me and to the committee to be the body that is a suitable vehicle for developing the necessary regulations. However, that will work only if JARUS has the full participation of industry, including British industry and small and medium enterprises, because SMEs are clearly going to be crucial in the development of drone technology. Does the Minister agree that JARUS is the right forum for developing regulations for drones? If so, will the Government do all they can to ensure that it is appropriately structured and governed and has the support and participation of industry, including SMEs? Will he give an assurance that he will work with the CAA, or with the companies themselves or their representatives, such as the ADS, to make sure that they have the necessary resources to participate in and influence the development of JARUS, and that JARUS itself—this is hugely important—will act quickly enough to reflect the immense speed that we must expect in the development of the drone industry? If we do not do this, and risk the development of a regulatory regime that does not move swiftly enough or have the full support and participation of industry, it could stifle the development of that industry in the EU and the UK. That would be hugely to our disadvantage.