..tackles drone regulation challenges head-on with tailored framework
The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority NCAA, says, it is working on approving training organizations to provide competency certificates for drone operators, rather than licenses, as the drones themselves are not type-certified.
The Director, Aerodrome and Airspace Standards, NCAA, Engr. Godwin Balang who stated this at the ongoing 5th Dronetecx conference in Lagos, stressed the importance of ensuring safe, legal, and properly regulated drone operations in Nigeria.
Given the absence of type-certified drones in the country, he noted that, the NCAA has taken proactive steps to establish a framework for regulating drone operations.
He noted that currently, there are no certified drones in the country, which implies that the authority has to set its own rules to control the operation of non-certified aircraft.
To address this challenge, the NCAA has developed guidelines for the operations of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in Nigeria.
The authority has also established an online engagement platform, where intending operators can interact with the NCAA and obtain a general overview of the requirements for certification.
According to the Director who is also the Head of the Flight Safety Group, FSG, the NCAA has rolled out a drone registration portal, which has been designed to simplify the registration process for drone operators.
He disclosed that, the registration fee has been pegged at N5,000, which is significantly lower than the N3m mentioned by some stakeholders.
The authority has also reduced the cumbersome process of writing big manuals, which are typically required for certified aircraft.
Engr. Balang assured that the NCAA is committed to making the regulatory framework simple and effective, while ensuring safety and security in drone operations.
He emphasized that the authority is managing risks associated with drone operations and working to create a conducive environment for the growth of the industry.
Explaining further the aviation expert said, NCAA has already engaged with over 80 applicants and is working closely with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to ensure that the regulatory framework is robust and effective.
“Now, you can’t get a certificate without the NCAA and you can’t just go to ONSA and think you can get something there. The idea is not to actually make anything complex but we have been working to make everything simple and everything have said here have been very, very deliberate”.
With these proactive steps, he stated that, the NCAA is poised to ensure that drone operations in Nigeria are safe, legal, and properly regulated.
