A drone. The lack of regulations as well as security and safety remain
key concerns as the use of commercial drones gains momentum in Africa.
PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NMG
As the use of commercial drones gains momentum in Africa with
aid agencies and agricultural institutions fast taking up the technology
to streamline their work, the lack of regulations as well as security
and safety remain key concerns.
From the delivery of
emergency medical supplies and blood samples in Rwanda and Malawi to gas
exploration in Tanzania and Mozambique, the unmanned aerial vehicles
(UAVs) are proving extremely useful.
However, only South Africa and Rwanda have proper laws on the use of commercial drones within their airspace.
Civil
aviation authorities are struggling to keep the unmanned aerial
vehicles out of the way of aircraft and incorporate them within their
air navigation and surveillance systems.
“African
operators are trying to address current concerns. Countries should also
insist on drone pilot training as part of regulations,” said Celine
Hourcade, the head of cargo transportation at the Interna-tional Air
Transport Association.
Ms Hourcade added that the
association is working with the International Civil Aviation
Organisation, air navigation agencies and governments in formulating a
regulatory framework.
In February this year, Rwanda opened its skies to commercial
drones, barely two years after South Africa approved its own drone
regulations.
Rwanda’s revised regulations, are the
first in the region, were approved in January. They outline the use of
UAVs in complex commercial operations.
“The laws allow
drones to fly above the visual line of sight and permit the use of
highly automated drones,” said the Minister of State in charge of
Transport in the Ministry of Infrastructure Jean de Dieu Uwihanganye.
Kenya, Tanzania
Kenya and Tanzania are still struggling to put the necessary laws in place.
Two
months ago, Kenya’s parliament refused to endorse the Remotely Piloted
Aircraft Systems Regulations 2017 over safety and privacy concerns.
“Drones
are now operating illegally in Kenya. The tragedy is that we can’t do
much about it because we don’t have any laws to enforce. My primary
concern is safety, particularly around airports,” said Kenya Civil
Aviation Authority director-general Gilbert Kibe.
Nairobi
now hopes the regulations will be in place by the end of the year after
addressing concerns raised by Members of Parliament.
In
March, KCAA issued a gazette notice on drone regulations that seeks to
among other things, establish a registry to control the ownership and
use of the unmanned vehicles.
“All drone operators will
have to register with us and obtain a permit to fly. We will need to
know how many drones are in the country, what purpose they are for and
who their operators’ sake,” said Mr Kibe.
The gazetted
regulations, if endorsed by parliament, will allow Kenyans to acquire
drones for sports, private activities and commercial purposes.
Those
who wish to import, own or operate drones will also be expected to
apply to KCAA and pay a fee. The drone pilots, who must have a liability
insurance, will also be limited to 400 feet above ground level.
The
proposed regulations also ban flying drones over or around strategic
installations and radar sites unless one has a permit from KCAA.
The
agency had also proposed a ban on importation of military-grade drones
by civilians, while those wishing to bring in commercial drones would
have to notify the aviation agency in writing and obtain a registration
certificate.
In Tanzania, even though the importation
of drones is allowed, one must get express authority from the Tanzania
Civil Aviation Authority (TCAA) to bring them in, including a user-pilot
certification from either of the seven accredited institutions.
“We
are engaging stakeholders on the use of drones in our airspace. We
believe that they are important for our economic development. The
regulations we are proposing will include detection and interception
mechanisms,” TCAA director general Hamza Johari said.
Mr
Johari said that the surveillance and detection mechanism will ensure
safety of other airspace users, and also allow authorities to intercept
UAVs that go against the regulations.
Currently, Dar es
Salaam and Kigali only allow daytime operation of drones. Drone
operators in Tanzania must also insure the aircraft.
TCAA
has also classified the remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) into
three: Light (under seven kg); medium (between seven and 150 kg) and
large (over 150kg). However, for the medium and large RPAS, one must get
a special permit from the Ministry of Defence.
To
boost safety, drones are not allowed within a five-kilometre radius of
Tanzania’s international airports in Dar es Salaam and Kilimanjaro, and
within a three kilometre radius of domestic airports.
Drones
are also banned in national parks. Drone pilots must also have a
special permit from the civilian aviation authority to fly over
populated areas and crowds.
Rwanda
In
Rwanda, operators are required to pay for the drones’ insurance and
hold a valid remote operator’s certificate issued by the Rwanda Civil
Aviation Authority.
Operators must also hold a pilot’s
licence and a medical certificate. The licence, like Tanzania, must
have been received from a drone training institution from Europe, South
Africa or the US.
Kigali too, does not allow the use of
drones around strategic installations including airports, military
bases and radar sites. There are also plans to incorporate drones within
the country’s traffic management system later this year.
“We
are planning capacity building, drone pilot training and certification
of regional drone operators in Rwanda,” said Mr Uwihanganye.
Through
its aviation authority, Kigali allows a maximum altitude of 328 feet
for flying drones, with a maximum take-off weight of 25 kilogrammes.
To
protect its traditional aviation players, the drones cannot be operated
within a six-kilometre radius of its airports without clearance from
the country’s aviation agency, and must have a special aviation number
displayed as assigned by RCAA.
Rwanda has also set speed limits for the drones at not more than 87 knots (100 kph).
Uganda
Uganda
on the other hand remains one of the region’s most restrictive
countries for drone operations, with its civil aviation laws demanding a
90-day notice of intent to import into its territory.
It
also empowers its Department of Defence to have some clearance duties
in certain drone operations as it seeks to ramp up its safety laws.
Like
the rest of its neighbours, its amended civil aviation regulations also
demands a pilot training certification and bans UAV’s over crowds and
cities.
South Africa, which is now being used as a
benchmark for successful infusion of drones into its airspace and
navigation management system, has managed to address some of the
concerns African governments have been having in trying to regulate this
new aviation platform.
Recently, during the Africa
Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) conference in
Mombasa, aviation players raised national security, privacy, accidents,
ownership and training as some of the concerns that have held back
African governments in regulating the use of drones within their
airspaces.
Another challenge is the integration of
remotely piloted aircraft systems into current and evolving air traffic
management systems, while ensuring the safety and efficiency of aviation
operations.
“It is indeed time that we started holding
discussions on drones as part of the air traffic management; this will
address the safety and national security concerns that several
governments and stakeholders have had, which has slowed down regulations
in this new sector,” said CANSO deputy director general, Simon
Hocquard.
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