New regulations implemented for drones

According to Poppy Khoza, director of the aviation regulator, input from various state entities and other role players including drone operators, manufacturers and other airspace users, was sourced during the development of the new regulations, Lowvelder reported.

Khoza added a draft of these regulations had been sent to the minister of transport and was approved last month. The remaining weeks preceding July 1 would be used to refine the proposed regulations, he said.

“These regulations are only a first attempt towards perfection,” Khoza said.

Some of the regulations include:

• No drone shall be operated, unless such has been issued with a letter of approval, which is valid for a period of 12 months.

• A drone may not tow another aircraft, perform aerial or aerobatic displays, be flown in formation or swarm or be flown adjacent to or above a nuclear power plant, prison, police station, crime scene, court of law, national key point or strategic installation.

• It may also not be flown higher than 120m above the ground or within a radius of 10km from an aerodrome.

• The new regulations further prohibits flying within 50m from any person or building.

• The weather should allow clear flying conditions unless in approved beyond visual line of sight or night operations.

Traditionally drones were used primarily in military operations but are now easily available to aerial enthusiasts with no limitations place on the use of these aircrafts.

Lex Hollman, a photographer and a drone enthusiast from Malalane, Mpumalanga, said the regulations were completely reasonable.

“Regulations are much more stringent overseas, therefore ours are very sensible. People need to have respect and fly these amazing machines responsibly anyway,” he said.

He added South Africa was one of the first countries in the world with such regulations.

Read More: Fly illegal drones at your peril: CAA

– Caxton News Service