The goal of the meeting was to ensure that the regulatory agenda matches the real challenges of the industry as closely as possible and helps to accelerate the commercialisation of UAS in Russia.

The NAS Association was represented at the session by Anna Manakhova, Director of the Association, and Evgeny Rebizov, Director for Regulatory Affairs. They put forward a number of proposals to improve the regulatory environment, including expanding the use of experimental legal regimes, harmonising the requirements for different types of autonomous systems and simplifying certification procedures.

During the open discussion the participants unanimously agreed: the current version of the LRM needs to be revised in light of the technological breakthrough of recent years and the practical experience accumulated. The following issues were raised especially sharply:

• the shift from a mass-based approach to regulation towards a scenario-based principle (depending on the type of operation, not only the weight of the vehicle), • the need for unified rules for all autonomous systems — airborne, ground and maritime, • the development of mechanisms for the rapid adoption of innovation through experimental legal regimes and regulatory sandboxes.

Following the discussion, all the proposals were consolidated and agreed. The session participants jointly added amendments to the draft updated Aeronet LRM, which will soon be sent to the relevant federal executive authorities for further formalisation and approval. “This is not just a technical update of a document. It is a crucial step towards creating a flexible, predictable and stimulating regulatory environment in which business can not only test but also scale solutions. The NAS Association will continue to act as a bridge between the industry and the state, so that the rules work for development rather than against it,” noted Anna Manakhova. As a reminder, since 2018 more than 80 regulatory acts have been adopted under the Aeronet LRM, including amendments to the Air Code, the federal aviation rules, professional standards and technical regulations. Thanks to these measures, conditions have been created in the country for the certification of UAS, commercial transport, personnel training and the registration of more than 116,000 drones.

The updated roadmap will become the basis for the next stage — the transition from isolated solutions to a systemic economy of autonomy.