MELBOURNE, Australia – Flight Safety Foundation announced the continued expansion of its sectors of the BARS Program with the signing on Monday 15 February 2016 of the state government of Victoria’s Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) as a new Tier 1 BARS Member Organization.
The signing of this Agreement establishes a collaborative working relationship between the Foundation and Victorian Government, which sees great value and advantage in using the BARS Program as a key part of its aviation safety oversight and risk management.
DELWP Secretary Adam Fennessy said, “This relationship gives us the opportunity to work with experts in this field to help us understand the most practical and safe way to use drones in our land and forest fire management. Having an ‘eye in the sky’ with video and thermal image ability will help us deliver more effective and safer planned burns – an important and innovative step for DELWP.”
Dr. Lisa Frye who manages the Aviation Services Unit, which allocates aviation assets across Victoria for use by the public sector, said “This is a great opportunity for DELWP to work with an international organisation in accessing and contributing to new risk standards for Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems.”
BARS Managing Director David Anderson said the partnership with DELWP would be mutually beneficial for the aviation industry and sets a strong example for the BARS Program moving forward.
“We are proud to partner with the Victorian Government through DELWP in assisting with their management of risk. The BARS Program provides a system of oversight to identify, assess and manage aviation risks and as a not-for-profit organisation we see this relationship as mutually beneficial for industry.
“Through our involvement with the resource sector BARS Member Organizations we see the need to work on risk-based standards for UAV/RPA operations, which is another keen area of interest for the Victorian Government.”
Flight Safety Foundation (flightsafetstg.wpenginepowered.com) is an independent, non-profit, international organization engaged in research, education, advocacy and publishing to improve aviation safety. The Foundation’s mission is to be the leading voice of safety for the global aerospace community.
Contact: Frank Jackman, +1 703.739.6700 ext. 116; jackman@webdeva.flightsafety.org
