By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
MINISTER of Transport and Aviation Glenys Hanna Martin announced yesterday that the Department of Civil Aviation and the Ministry of Transport now require that all drones be registered as the government prepares to bring a bill regulating the use of the aircraft in the country.
Those who register their drone will receive a registration certificate with “fundamental basic safety operating requirements.”
The registration period will come into effect on February 1, 2016, and all such aircraft must be registered by the end of that month.
She said in order to import an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) into the country, the owner will have to present a certificate of registration from the Department of Civil Aviation to the Department of Customs before the agency will release the imported device to the owner.
“The set of safety requirements on the certificate of registration will include rules as to the height and distance for UAV to fly within proximity of airports or persons among other things,” she said.
“The mandatory certification process previously mentioned will take effect February 1 to February 29, 2016, for all owners of UAVs in The Bahamas.
“This includes current owners and those wishing to import a UAV in The Bahamas whether for commercial or recreational use.
“The terms of that certification will be published over the next several days. Failure to register may result in the UAVs being confiscated by the Department of Civil Aviation. For the time being, UAVs being imported in the Bahamas will be processed through the Department of Customs conditionally and subject to registration on February 1 as previously stated.”
Comments
sealice 8 years, 4 months ago
have fun trying to enforce this one handheld
proudloudandfnm 8 years, 4 months ago
LOL the PLP ga regulate drones.... Kml!!!!!
B_I_D___ 8 years, 4 months ago
Another useless law in the books that will only be selectively enforced to penalize select individuals.
GrassRoot 8 years, 4 months ago
the DEA people will line up on Feb 1st to register their drones.
GrassRoot 8 years, 4 months ago
again, the only reason the Government pushed that through is so they can claim they got something done in 2015
i_land_boy 8 years, 4 months ago
actually the ICAO forced this upon us. they regulate international air travel. if we had not enacted any legislation, we would start losing airlines flying here as we do not have any effective drone laws. believe me the govt had nothing to do with this and were told to get it done or else.
ThisIsOurs 8 years, 4 months ago
Good. It's a mystery to me why government takes so long to create structure when the potential for violations and misuse are obvious to everybody. Next someone should force them to create an enforce an anti corruption legislation (with teeth)
TalRussell 8 years, 4 months ago
Comrade Holy Mother of Jesus these Colonial Crown Ministers should all be made return to reality and only way accomplish this would be take away all they's
Governor-general's issued hot air balloon licenses, cause obviously velocity from higher elevation does seems penetrated their common sense brain cells shields.
Comrades just you wait till Minister Glenys does requires that all the drone operators be required hold a trained as a qualified pilot’s license.
You knows what I keeps saying. No way this stuff could be made up. It has be for real - particularly more so once there is revenue flowing into public treasury from one source Fees - you can rest "government assured" such fees elation is goin be followed by much greater turbulence of new Fees.
CoopAir 8 years, 4 months ago
With the US, FAA soon to also require us to register drones in the United States, does this mean that the Bahamas authorities will accept proof of US registration to use one in the Bahamas?
In other words, by registering a drone in the US, as we are going to soon be required to do too, is there reciprocity with it in the Bahamas??
I would hope so..........after all, l I can legally fly an ACTUAL AIRPLANE in the Bahamas that is registered in the US with a US pilot license (technically called a certificate).
TalRussell 8 years, 4 months ago
Comrade CoopAir there you goes putting all kinds ideas up in Minister Glenys head. By 2016 she wiill announce a need for a Ministry of Registration Unmann's Aircraft,. which means a task force will become necessary for policing who is airborne and who is not.. This could run taxpayers far more than we Trinni Carni'vale 2015's $13 million.
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