10 things you probably didn’t know about drones
Bryan Verpoort from Hollard Drone Insurance.
Drones are all the rage right now, monitoring wildlife, delivering pizza, inspecting machinery and dropping aid for needy communities – among other things. But before you go off an invest in a drone for your business, consider the fact that you’ll need to be licenced, approved and registered with the Civil Aviation Authority before you can use your drone for business purposes.
Here are some other facts and stats that you probably didn’t know about drones:
1. Market size
The emerging global market for business services using drones is valued at more than US$127bn! This is the value of current business services and labour that will most likely be outsourced to drones.
2. Approvals
Commercial drone operators must be approved by the Civil Aviation Authority and hold a valid remote pilot’s licence as well as a remote operator’s certificate. This is also a condition for insurance – Hollard will not grant insurance to any company that does not meet this requirement.
3. The drone zone
Drones may not fly more than 120m above the ground, nor within 10km of an aerodrome. They are also prohibited from flying above or near crowds of people.
4. Toys and balloons
The same rules that govern recreational drones also apply to toy aircraft and unmanned balloons.
5. Weight restrictions
Drones for commercial use cannot weigh more than 20kg, while a drone used for recreational or personal use cannot exceed 7kg in weight.
6. Not in public, please
You may not use a public road for take-off or landing of a drone.
7. Maintain line of sight
Your drone should never leave your sight. If darkness or bad weather clouds visibility, your drone must remain grounded.
8. Yield to manned aircraft
Drones must give way to all manned aircraft. Drone pilots must monitor air traffic and record flight activity in a logbook.
9. No acrobatics, please
You may not use your drone to transport cargo, tow another aircraft, or perform aerial or acrobatic displays. Flying drones in formation or in a swarm is also prohibited.
10. Report all incidents
All incidents involving your drone must be reported to the police , especially if someone gets injured or if property, including the drone itself, gets damaged.
