Understanding drones and drone pilots likely to give all non-flyers a lift

While they may look and sound scary and seem sinister, drones have many good uses

SOUTH Africa being the first country to have regulations for drones, otherwise known as remote piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), has led to big differences of opinion.

The regulations were implemented mainly to control commercial flying of these aircraft as certain safety factors needed addressing.

Initially, the flying of drones, whether for commercial or hobby purposes, was not allowed within 10km of any airfield or airport.

These regulations created a problem that no flying could occur in an area of 314km2. Which means that the flying of drones may not take place, even for the inspection of buildings 5km away, leading to a loss of income.

Fortunately, licensed pilots have recently communicated with air traffic controllers to get permission to fly in controlled airspaces.

A licensed drone pilot has many advantages, yet there is still red tape that prevents such a pilot from obtaining remuneration for flying their drone.

These licensed pilots have all the understanding and training for safe flying, yet what happens if you are wanting to fly your drone for recreational or hobby purposes? When referring to a drone, I’m referring to a multi-rotor ‘copter (not a plane), which can take off vertically and hover in a single spot.

Parents are purchasing these drones for their children, which can range from a few hundred rand to about R30 000, depending on the features it has on board.

There are more advanced drones as well, which could have features that might be compared to military specs.

For hobby purposes, the South African Association of Model Aircraft (Saama) has fields across the country where aircraft can be flown, but people (whether children or adults) want to fly the drones when they have a free moment, or have the opportunity to take some aerial photos in their own surroundings. With this in mind, you will generally find that these drones will be flown in people’s yards, or in parks. The public have become almost paranoid about drones. Whether it’s the annoying buzzing sound that prevents an old couple from getting their afternoon nap, or a privacy issue, the reasons for the public complaining about drones are many.

Yet, is it really a concern? And are we as the public not reacting a bit too quickly? Ten years ago, if the public saw a drone flying, people would have watched it eagerly, being amazed at how technology has developed and discussing the future of drones. Yet now it is almost the opposite.

For me, safety is the biggest concern. Some sensibility is required before taking off with a drone and going for a “spin”.

The first safety aspect that must be taken into account is the danger the drone might have for other aircraft.

While flying a manned aircraft, it is not possible to see drones that are flying in the distance in front of you, especially if the drone is on the small scale of the toys available in the shops. A manned aircraft hitting a drone will cause huge amounts of damage.

For this reason, the flying of drones must happen below 120ft or 30m above ground, as per regulation. Do not fly your drone to a point where you cannot see it.

Another safety aspect that flyers don’t take into account are the people below the drone. Every pilot hopes his or her aircraft will not fail, but this is a possibility that must be taken into account.

For this reason, pilots of manned aircraft have regulations to follow in terms of being above a certain height when flying over crowded areas and similar consideration must be taken into account with drones.

Privacy is possibly the reason for most of the complaints people have. For example, a person was under the impression that photos were being taken of their private residence, which would be used against them in a blackmail scenario.

In another instance, a man was concerned that his wife and daughters were being checked by a perverted person flying the drone.

The following regulations are in place for the flying of drones, whether they are registered for commercial purposes or not:

Any RPAS, registered or not, must not be flown in such a way that it poses a risk of causing injury to people, damage to property, the possibility of collision with other aircraft (manned or unmanned) or the infringement of by-laws regarding privacy.

The RPAS must not be flown closer than 50m from any person or group of people, registered RPAS, public roads or on to, over or from any private property without the permission of the owner.

It is advised that light safety and situational awareness be considered at all times.

Do not fly over public roads. Do not take off or land on a road. Where do you draw the line if Google Earth has high definition cameras obtaining images of your property that are of a better quality compared to what the drone is able to observe?

Yes, if a drone pilot is not flying using safe practices, infringing privacy and not complying with requests of neighbours, a case can be opened with the SAPS. A drone pilot who flies recklessly could be fined R50 000 and/ or jailed for 10 years.

The problem I see in today’s society is that with technology and other distractions, we tend to not communicate with one another, and get angry about things that could easily have been resolved.

If you find that you are concerned or worried about the intention of a drone flying in an area, then speak to the pilot first and see what they are doing. If you approach it in this way, the pilot will probably be more than happy to show you the footage they have and what their intentions are.

Professor Riaan Stopforth is the head of the Stopforth Mechatronics, Robotics and Research Lab at UKZN. He is also Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering at UKZN and a licensed pilot, RPAS pilot wand with an instructor rating. He has been the research chair for Drone Research in South Africa as part of the Robotics Strategy of South Africa (Rossa) programme for the Department of Science and Technology.