Who is responsible for ensuring the safe operation of a drone?

The Remote Pilot in Command (RPIC) holds the primary responsibility for ensuring the safe operation of a drone. This role includes making critical decisions regarding flight operations, assessing environmental conditions, and ensuring compliance with aviation regulations and safety protocols. The RPIC is trained to understand the operational limits of the drone, requires knowledge of the airspace they are flying in, and must conduct pre-flight checks to guarantee that the drone and its systems are functioning correctly.

While other parties, such as the ground crew and air traffic control, play supportive roles in the safe operation of a drone, they do not have the overarching responsibility that lies with the RPIC. The drone manufacturer provides the equipment but is not involved in everyday operational decisions, and air traffic control assists with airspace management but does not directly control drone operations at a local level. Thus, the responsibility for safe operation rests firmly with the RPIC, who must ensure that all aspects of the flight are managed safely.