Tighter drone safety regulations coming – GCAA

The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) says it is amending its drone regulation policy to cater for the security and privacy of citizens.

Currently, the regulation on drone operations is heavy on airspace security but the upsurge in the use of drones in the country has compelled the GCAA to revisit its regulations.

The GCAA recently commenced the certification process for Zipline to begin flying drones to distribute medical supplies.

Speaking to Class Business, Mr Simon Allotey, Director-General of the GCAA, said: “Drone operation is on the increase, the International Civil Aviation Organisation has come up with manuals and guidelines to control operations of drones because the drones will share the airspace with aircraft and we want to make sure they comply by the rules of the air and of the general civil aviation, and we are looking at adding additional directives on security and privacy.

“Most of the directives currently relates to the safety of drone operations, but you and I know that drones could also be used for espionage, they could be fitted with weapons of destruction, so, we want to make sure, together with National Security, [that we] provide these additional directives as relate to security and privacy.”