Drone pilots line up for registration
dubai — A total of 550 drone pilots have been certified so far this year and that number is expected to increase as the deadline to register drones approaches, the CEO of Sanad Academy, the institution behind accrediting and certifying drones, has said.
The Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Meteorology (Esma) recently announced that all recreational and commercial drones must be registered by September. The Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) has also implemented the same regulations, making it mandatory for drones to be registered and their users to have a operating licence.
Sanad Academy is responsible for providing certifications for drones and pilots. Drone enthusiasts cannot get their pilot’s licence from the DCAA if they do not have this mandatory certification.
Mohammed Aziz from Sanad Academy said that the turnout of drone users at the academy is increasing. “We are definitely expecting the number to increase because of the new regulations to own and operate a drone,” Aziz told Khaleej Times. “At Sanad Academy, we issue an operator certificate, which is required to prove that the drone user is qualified to pilot a drone. After they receive the mandatory certificate, they can submit it with the other required documents to the DCAA to get their licence.”
Aziz highlighted it has become increasingly important for drone enthusiasts to register their drones because many people who come for training at the academy are not familiar with the regulations for flying drones in the country.
“It’s extremely important for drone operators to receive training and be certified because they need to get the right information. They need to know the UAE operating laws. For example, a lot of the people coming in don’t know that you are not allowed to fly your drone beyond 500 metres height. They need to learn the operating limits,” Aziz said.
“They need to learn to take the airspace seriously and know how dangerous it can be if a drone interrupts the airspace. If a drone comes in the way of a helicopter, for example, it can be really dangerous.” Sanad Academy provides a boot camp for new drone users and a quick certification process for the more experienced ones.
In the boot camp, which is one day and six hours long, users will learn the basics of drone operations, the regulations around operating one and will be required to take a flight test. The cost for this package is Dh900.
Experienced drone users will be required to take a test with 30 multiple questions and a flight test — all which can be done within a few hours at a cost of Dh350.
The strict regulations came after several incidents of disruptions in the UAE airspace caused by drones. Till April 2017, there were a total of four drone-related incidents that led to the temporary shutdown of Dubai airport. Each minute the airport is closed, it costs the Aviation industry $1 million.
sarwat@khaleejtimes.com