The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

More than 150 drones have been registered with the Department of Civil Aviation to-date, the head of Flight Standards told Tribune Business yesterday.

Hubert Adderley, manager of flights standards at the Civil Aviation Department, told Tribune Business: “We have been having a whole lot of queries from people putting in for registration and permission for use. There has been quite a significant number of registrants.

“I would say more than 150 have been registered so far. Obviously more than 150 are out there somewhere, and that is not including the ones that are in process.”

Glenys Hanna-Martin minister of transport and aviation, told Tribune Business that all drones coming in via Customs have to be registered otherwise they will not be released to their owners.

“What is happening now is that no drone is coming in unless it is registered,” she said. “We determined that this would be the only way we could ensure the registration of it. We know that every drone coming through Customs is being registered otherwise it is not coming out. There are drones that were already here and they were given time to register.”

The registration period for all unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones was February 1 to February 29.    

The Civil Aviation Department previously warned about unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones) being operated in the Love Beach area, which is in the flight path of aircraft coming in to land at Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA).

Bahamian aviation law specialist  and Callenders & Co attorney and partner, Llewellyn Boyer-Cartwright, in a recent Tribune Business interview stressed the need for “active enforcement” of laws governing the use of drones following the warning.

Mr Adderley told Tribune Business that persons could have their drones confiscated if found to be operating in contravention of the rules. 

UAV operators must not fly within five nautical miles of any airport; at a height above 200 feet;  or within 150 metres of any congested or populated area; over or within 150 meters of an organised open-air assembly of more than 100 persons; within 50 metres of any vessel, vehicle or structure which is not under the control of the person in charge of the aerial vehicle, without special permission of the owner; or within 50 metres of any person.