Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 923/2012Show full title

3. OPERATING LIMITATIONS AND EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS

3.1. A heavy unmanned free balloon shall not be operated without authorisation from the ANSP(s) at or through any level below 18 000 m (60 000 ft) pressure-altitude at which:

(a)

there are clouds or obscuring phenomena of more than four oktas coverage; or

(b)

the horizontal visibility is less than 8 km.

3.2. A heavy or medium unmanned free balloon shall not be released in a manner that will cause it to fly lower than 300 m (1 000 ft) over the congested areas of cities, towns or settlements or an open-air assembly of persons not associated with the operation.

3.3. A heavy unmanned free balloon shall not be operated unless:

(a)

it is equipped with at least two payload flight-termination devices or systems, whether automatic or operated by telecommand, that operate independently of each other;

(b)

for polyethylene zero-pressure balloons, at least two methods, systems, devices, or combinations thereof, that function independently of each other are employed for terminating the flight of the balloon envelope;

(c)

the balloon envelope is equipped with either a radar reflective device(s) or radar reflective material that will present an echo to surface radar operating in the 200 MHz to 2 700 MHz frequency range, and/or the balloon is equipped with such other devices as will permit continuous tracking by the operator beyond the range of ground-based radar.

3.4. A heavy unmanned free balloon shall not be operated under the following conditions:

(a)

in an area where ground-based SSR equipment is in use, unless it is equipped with a secondary surveillance radar transponder, with pressure-altitude reporting capability, which is continuously operating on an assigned code, or which can be turned on when necessary by the tracking station; or

(b)

in an area where ground-based ADS-B equipment is in use, unless it is equipped with an ADS-B transmitter, with pressure-altitude reporting capability, which is continuously operating or which can be turned on when necessary by the tracking station.

3.5. An unmanned free balloon that is equipped with a trailing antenna that requires a force of more than 230 N to break it at any point shall not be operated unless the antenna has coloured pennants or streamers that are attached at not more than 15 m intervals.

3.6. A heavy unmanned free balloon shall not be operated below 18 000 m (60 000 ft) pressure-altitude at night or during any other period prescribed by the competent authority, unless the balloon and its attachments and payload, whether or not they become separated during the operation, are lighted.

3.7. A heavy unmanned free balloon that is equipped with a suspension device (other than a highly conspicuously coloured open parachute) more than 15 m long shall not be operated during night below 18 000 m (60 000 ft) pressure-altitude unless the suspension device is coloured in alternate bands of high conspicuity colours or has coloured pennants attached.