Certification Processes

New UAS legislations are changing the regulatory paradigm: from nearly everything is forbidden to everything is possible. But the airspace opening to UAS comes with a cost: all elements related with the operation (UAS technology, operator company and pilots) must comply with all requirements needed to assure that they are conducted in a safely and secure manner, which means going through standardized certification processes.

We can help any UAS stakeholder in commercially deploying their product or service complying with all regulatory requirements.

European Categories

Europe has been a first mover in terms of deploying a legislation common for multiple countries through EASA, that is based on the international standards that are being developed by JARUS. 

 

Our services are designed to help you to deploy your application in any required category: 

(*) Under development.

Our services

Pre-Evaluation Testing Assessment

We can help you in identifying all certifications requirements for your system and assure you are able to meet them through our testing and evaluation procedures. 

 

Evaluation Testing

We can perform all required indoor and outdoor evaluation testing required to go through any conformity assessment, authorisation, or certification process.

 

Certification (Notified Body Evaluation)

Starting on 1st of January 2023, all drones placed in the European market will require to go through a Conformity Assessment process to validate that they meet the basic safety and security requirements. The countdown has already started, so the first manufactures to have their drone system approved will have a key commercial advantage.  We can assist you in all the conformity assessment process to get C0 to C6 CE marking for your systems. 

 

Thanks to our test site facilities and the associated segregated airspace, we will be able to support you in testing and evaluating your product in order to be able to satisfactory go through the Conformity Assessment process.

Operational Authorization Processing (SORA methodology)

Operational Authorizations are the main available path to deploy most professional applications, from BVLOS autonomous inspections to delivery. Our experts can help you in: 

  • CONOPS strategy design/update to be able to get authorisation approval. 
  • Elaborate/update the operational risk assessment (using SORA methodology): any SAIL in any country. 
  • Elaborate/update all required documents to fulfil SORA’s OSO’s (Operational Safety Objectives): Operations Manual, Maintenance Manual, Emergency Response Plan… 
  • Test and Evaluate any technical features to fulfil SORA’s OSO’s: Containment, Ground Risk Mitigations, UAS performance, Contingency & Emergency procedures… 
  • Process the Operational Authorization with the CAA and iterate it until approved. 

Operational Authorisations can be evolved into a Light UAS Operator Certificate (LUC), so the company is able to issue its own authorisation without going through the CAA. 

 

EASA Design Verification

We can help you in going through all the Design Verification Report process for medium and high-risk specific category operations, helping you going through all the steps from the initial design review to EASA’s approval. 

 

Experimental Flights Authorisation

 We can help you deploy any type of drone in our Test Site facilities before ongoing any type of certification. This will allow you to flight test your systems in early development stages. This service can include: 

  • Operational Authorization Processing for your testing set-up in one of our UAS test sites. 
  • Access to UAS test site airspace and facilities to deploy the testing program. 
  • Your single point of contact for communications with different CAAs. 
  • Bespoke testing and evaluating solutions. 

 

Type Certification

We can assist you during the type certification of your UAS conducting the test flights needed to comply with the applicable Certification Specifications (CS).

 

Airworthiness Certification

We can help you in deploying your system so it can be flight tested to demonstrate the safety and security of your intended operational scenario. This opens the door to ask for a special operational authorization to the National Aviation Authorities and work with them in the creation of the required legal framework to commercially deploy your technology as soon as possible.

Entrance to market

Manufacturers – Open Category – Mass Market Toys and Basic Users 

Manufacturers – Specific Category (Standard Scenarios) – Pro-Users 

Operators & Manufacturers Specific Category (Operational Authorization) – Professional Applications 

Manufacturers – Certified Category – Drone Taxi and Dangerous Applications

FAQs

Can you carry all required evaluation tests required to get the Class Identification Label?

Yes, we carry all required flight tests in our Test Sites and have a partnership with certification companies to provide also all indoor labs required testing. 

Is BCN Drone Center a Notified Body?

No, but we have a partnership with Notified Bodies to be able to offer both the evaluation and certification if required.