Drone Laws
Drone Laws withing South Africa as outlined by the South Africa Civil Aviation Authority.
Acronyms
SACAA – South African Civil Aviation Authority.
ASL – Air Service Licence.
ROC – RPAS Operators Certificate.
RLA – RPAS Letter of Approval.
RPL – Remote Pilot Licence.
CofR – Certificate of Registration.
RMT – RPAS Maintenance Technician.
We are operated by Drone Media a division of DC Geomtics (PTY) LTDÂ
To operate a RPAS (Drone) in south africa you have to obtain a letter of approval from the SACAA.
The information contained in this website is for informational purposes only and furthermore should not be construed as legal advice on any matter.
To operate a drone commercially in South Africa the civil aviation governing body (sacaa) require the company to have a remote operator certificate (ROC) and for the pilots to have a remote pilots license (RPL). When looking for a drone operator make sure they have a ROC.
All drones need to register with the SACAA and furthermore display their registration numbers. Operations need to have a medical aid kit and additionally a fire extinguisher on hand.
A FOM. Field operations manual completed for each flight undertaken.The format for this has been approved by the SACAA. The FOM includes the information for the safe operation of a RPAS. Specific location information including contact numbers for emergency personnel , aviation maps , VHF frequencies and potential hazards for the given location.
Our aircraft are all registered with the SACAA. Identification marks visible by the yellow letters stuck onto the craft. These have to be visible on the drone. Regular maintenance carried out by a certified RMT remote maintenance technician. Maintenance firstly ensures our aircraft adhere to the highest safety and maintenance standards. Drone Air is a leader in safe RPAS operations in South Africa. .
All our pilots undergo regular training to ensure our safety standards.We strive for the highest standards in Safety. We are always pushing our pilots to advance their knowledge and certifications.
Restrictions
Authorised by the SACAA to operate in:
controlled Airspace.
closer than 50m to people.
closer than 50m to buildings.
restricted airspace.
over roads.
National parks.
Our pilots undergo training to make sure they can operate a drone safely in the above areas.
There is a lot of opposition to the drone laws in South Africa. At the moment the laws are there to ensure chiefly true safe operation of drones.
Disclaimer: The information in this blog post (“post”) provided for general informational purposes only, and may not reflect the current law in your jurisdiction. No information contained in this post should constitute as legal advice from Drone Air. or the individual author, nor is it intended to be a substitute for legal counsel on any subject matter. No reader of this post should act or refrain from acting on the basis of any information included in, or accessible through, this Post without seeking the appropriate legal or other professional advice on the particular facts and circumstances at issue from a lawyer licensed in the recipient’s state, country or other appropriate licensing jurisdiction.
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If you would like more information on the South Africa Drone Laws visit the South Africa Civil Aviation AuthorityÂ