Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems in a Maritime Context: Operational, Regulatory and Legal Issues

The book chapter examines whether the legal framework is prepared for the increasing use of drones in the maritime trade. With the licensing environment in Europe and the UK having recently gone through an overhaul to accommodate operational and technological developments, manufacturers of UAS are now preoccupied with developing the technology that will facilitate the granting of licenses for operation on Beyond Visual Line of Sight basis. In this process, the publication examines whether the existing liability system for third party property damages and personal injuries in the UK creates impediments to their further deployment. The work identifies the required adjustments, yet it concludes that there is no (urgent) need to change the liability paradigm. Similarly, the chapter concludes that there seems to be no urgent need to change the insurance paradigm, despite certain adjustments required, as both drone and marine insurers have already embraced them and, via the use of technology , such as telematics, are able to provide financial certainty in the operation of UASs for commercial and maritime projects