Drones to be legalised in SA

[rpm]

Drones to be legalised in South Africa

The director of South Africa’s Civil Aviation Authority announced that the country will be introducing new regulations that will essentially make drones legal

 

[McT]

The regulations were supposed to be in place by end March 2015. Not unusual for legislation in SA to be sluggish, I know. But it is holding up development in the use of drones and making it difficult to get insurance for the use of drones.

 

[Foxhound5366]

A letter, renewable annually ... I'd have been impressed enough if govmunt could have gotten its act together to issue licenses at least once to everybody who applied, but to have to do it consistently every year is a problem of a whole other scale.

 

[garyc]

The full press release is here:

http://www.caa.co.za/Media%20Statements/2015/Speech%20by%20the%20Director%20of%20Civil%20Aviation%20regarding%20RPAS%20Regulations.pdf

 

[CuppaJoe]

I don't get it.

When were drones ever illegal in SA?

Don't you mean 'regulate'?

Relevant info here:

http://www.techcentral.co.za/sa-to-regulate-drones/56671/

All these new rules are certainly going to impede the development of this technology in SA. Maybe that's just another area where we will get last prize, thanks to lawmakers who have very little knowledge of the subject.

 

[Noseworthy]

Great. Now I can fly one over nkandla

 

[Swa]

Great. Now I can fly one over nkandla

No you're not allowed to fly them over national key points. So you may fly them over military bases but definitely not Nkandla.

 

[kianm]

Quite a list of requirements

 

[McT]

No you're not allowed to fly them over national key points. So you may fly them over military bases but definitely not Nkandla.

No harm in trying though? They're so lax over security at so many places that you're likely to get the drone out unscathed.

 

[deweyzeph]

I don't get what the difference is between a drone and a standard remote controlled aircraft. The definition of a drone in this article, " remotely piloted aircraft systems" could be used to exactly describe a remote controlled aircraft, as used and flown for decades already by hobbyists all across the country. So what exactly is the difference and how does this new legislation affect hobbyists who have been flying RC aircraft for ages? Is there a difference?

 

[koeksGHT]

I don't get what the difference is between a drone and a standard remote controlled aircraft. The definition of a drone in this article, " remotely piloted aircraft systems" could be used to exactly describe a remote controlled aircraft, as used and flown for decades already by hobbyists all across the country. So what exactly is the difference and how does this new legislation affect hobbyists who have been flying RC aircraft for ages? Is there a difference?

Yes, they want R150 000 to license them now.

 

[colin001]

Ha ha ha.
This is South Africa. The "workers" are drones!!!!!!