UAS/UAV Law in South Africa

The website for the CAA in South Africa:http://www.caa.co.za/The SECOND DRAFT, UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS, INTERIM POLICY FOR CIVIL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS IN SOUTH AFRICA can be found here:http://www.caa.co.za/What%27s%20new/UAS%20Interim%20Policy.pdfThe FAQ:http://www.caa.co.za/resource%20center/Unmanned%20Aircraft/UAS%20FAQ.htmand the Strategy for UAS here:http://www.caa.co.za/resource%20center/UAS/Unmanned%20Aircraft%20Systems%20Perspectives.htm

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  • Moderator
    This is a little more like its shaking out in the UK Sarel http://attopilot.ning.com/forum/attachment/download?id=2847572%3AUp...

    Takes a while to load mind.
  • The section applicable to non commercial UAS:

    SECTION 2: GUIDELINES FOR NON-TYPE CERTIFIED VISUAL RANGE LIGHT UAS
    (Source: United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority (CAA): UK-CAA Policy for Light UAV Systems.
    2004.)
    8. INTRODUCTION
    8.1. Background
    8.1.1. Non-type certified visual range light UAS (referred to as Light UAS in this
    Section) are those non-type certified UAS -
    a. with a maximum take-off mass below 150 kg;
    b. a maximum speed not exceeding 70 knots;
    c. that meet the energy criteria of paragraph 9, Light UAS Airworthiness
    and Operations Guidelines, of this Interim Policy;
    d. that are operated within visual range of the Light UAS pilot, but not
    exceeding 1 km; and
    e. that are operated at not more than 400 ft above ground level, unless
    -
    i. the operations are carried out at an SA-CAA approved South
    African Model Aircraft Association (SAMAA) model flying site,
    in which case the height limitations applicable at the
    particular site will be observed;
    ii. the operations are carried out within an area that has been
    approved as an area for the operation of Light UAS in terms
    of paragraph 8.2, Approval of Areas for Operation of Light
    UAS, of this Section, in which case the SA-CAA will define
    the maximum allowable height above ground level for the
    relevant Light UAS operations; or
    iii. flight above 400 ft during the operations is specifically
    approved by the SA-CAA.
    8.1.2. The routine operations of civil (state and commercial) UAS is likely to be
    severely restricted in the short-term until a number of significant technical
    problems have been resolved (eg the provision of an adequate “sense and
    avoid” capability). Until the solutions to such problems are available and UAS
    can achieve parity with manned aircraft in respect of freedom of operation,
    civil UAS are likely to remain segregated from manned aircraft and be
    confined to flight above sparsely populated areas.

    and

    8.1.4. These operational constraints are not unique to UAS. Pilotless aircraft in the
    form of “model aircraft” have been flying within these limitations for many
    years and have achieved an acceptable safety record. Most nations currently
    have provisions within their national legislation to allow model aircraft to
    operate with no or limited airworthiness requirements in place, provided
    operational constraints in terms of where and when the model aircraft is
    operated are enforced.
    8.1.5. Furthermore, in the past these model aircraft have, on a case-by-case basis,
    been allowed to operate commercially in performing aerial work tasks –
    effectively operating as UAS.
    8.1.6. With this background, the SA-CAA considers it appropriate to produce
    interim policy guidelines for the regulation of Light UAS based on similar
    principles and restrictions to those applied to model aircraft and which, if
    adopted, would enable a harmonised approach for the routine operation of
    Light UAS in South Africa.
    8.1.7. Consideration is therefore given in this Section to allow UAS that have no
    greater capability than existing model aircraft to operate without obtaining
    airworthiness certification, subject to the UAS complying with similar
    limitations and conditions to those applied to model aircraft.
    8.2.
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