A drone such as this will soon fly the Kenyan airspace. FILE | NATION
Kenya has
finally approved regulations for drones, becoming the second country
after Rwanda in the region to embrace commercial use of Aerial Unmanned
Vehicles (AUVs).
The move comes as a boost to firms,
which have been waiting for the green light to import drones without
worrying about legal implications.
The aviation
regulator, Kenya Civil Aviation (KCAA), says the approval was made last
week on Monday after the agency met with the top security organs to
discuss draft regulations.
KCAA Director General Mr
Gilbert Kibe said the gazette legal notice together with an Aeronautical
Information Circular will be published as soon as official notification
from the meeting is received.
“The policy procedures
and regulations for remotely piloted aircraft systems, better known as
the drones, have been approved,” said Mr Kibe.
He said after gazetting, drones operations will be allowed in Kenya.
Hundreds
of drones imported before the approval of the regulations have so far
been confiscated by the Kenya Revenue Authority, according to KCAA.
Astral
Aviation, a Kenyan-based logistics firm, already has plans in place to
open a drone airport at Kapese Airstrip in Lokichar as it moves to tap
proceeds from oil exploration in the region.
The firm said the facility, the first in Africa, will be ready by February next year.
The
firm has opened a subsidiary — Astral Aerial Solution — that will
mainly deal with the operations of the drones, not only in Kenya but
also in Rwanda where the rule for operating the machines have been
approved.
The firm’s chief executive officer Sanjeev
Gadhia, said the firm intends to use drones in moving oil and gas
equipment from the central logistics hub to the fields.
“We
are going to open the Drone Airport in Kapese as we target to offer
logistics solutions to oil drilling firms in Lokichar and we are happy
that the approval on regulations have been made,” said Mr Gadhia.
Two tonnes of cargo
The
Fly Ox drone, which is one of the gadgets that the firm intends to buy,
can carry up to two tonnes of cargo and can travel for 1,200
kilometres, making it ideal for the oil and gas operations given that
the fields are far apart.
The firm will also buy drones
for security surveillance and create a virtual highway between Kapese
and Eldoret to monitor the movement of crude oil loaded onto trucks.
Mr Gadhia said the firm has set aside Sh50 million ($500,000) to start drone operations as early as this year.
At
least 1,000 applicants are seeking regulatory approvals to operate
drone-based transport services in Kenya, hinting to high demand for the
robotic aircraft.
Firms want to use the UAVs for film shooting, relief services and other commercial purposes, according to the regulator.
Non-military use of drones had been restricted in the country due to lack of a legal framework.
Among
other things, the proposed regulations require commercial drone owners
to have security clearance from the Ministry of Defence and have trained
pilots.
400 feet limit
Civilians are limited to flying drones at a height of not more than 400 feet.
Failure
to follow all the rules will attract a maximum of Sh500,000 in fines or
a jail term of not more than three months, the proposed regulations
state.
The approvals were made by the committee chaired
by President Uhuru Kenyatta and comprising all security agencies
including the Kenya Defence Forces and Kenya Police Service, who form
the National Advisory Committee.
The KCAA drafted the regulations after a series of meetings with wananchi to discuss the draft rules.
Kenya
will hire foreign drone pilots to man drones because currently the
country does not have enough personnel to control drones and will have
to rely on expatriates.
Mr Kibe said Kenya will have to import pilots as a short-term measure as it prepares to build its own capacity.
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