The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

REGULATIONS for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are expected to be formally presented in 45 days following minor public consultation, according to Aviation Minister, Glenys Hanna Martin.

The proliferation of UAVs has left governments around the world scrambling for ways to regulate their usage.

Mrs Hanna Martin claimed that the government was determined to get a handle on the matter after realising the prevalence of UVAs around The Bahamas.

She revealed that Bahamian officials have met representatives from the US Federal Aviation Administration in an effort to better understand the “struggles” of “balancing the commercial activities that drones facilitate and at the same time protect aviation safety and persons’ right to privacy”.

She said: “Before that meeting, we had determined that we were going to get a handle on this issue because we began to notice drones appearing at public events, with no regulations in place. We have posted some regulations on our website for dissemination and we have now invited particular stakeholders – which include the hobbyists and those in the real estate business – to get feedback.

“We expect to have close to a final piece of drone legislation in about 45 days to govern the use of drones in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.”

In March, George Mosko and Lance Knowles, proprietors of Sky High Media, a UAV photography and cinematography business, joined a number of public groups in calling for regulations to govern drone use. They said they feared others might enter the market and not play by the rules.

Mrs Hanna Martin said that the government is working to put the necessary legislation in place. The Department of Civil Aviation has invited the public and stakeholders to comment on the proposed regulations.