By MBONGISENI NDZIMANDZE
MBABANE – Private Investigator Hunter Shongwe has been arrested for using a spy aircraft without a valid licence or permit.
The gadget operates as a ‘floating’ camera and takes pictures of people and places without raising suspicion. The owner of such an aircraft operates it using a hand held remote control.
Shongwe was arrested by police officers from the Hhohho Serious Crimes Unit (Lukhozi) on Tuesday afternoon.
He is alleged to have contravened the Regulations of Aviation in that he operated the aircraft without having obtained a licence.
Police Public Relations Officer Superintendent Wendy Hleta confirmed Shongwe’s arrest.
She said Shongwe is expected to appear before court today. Information gathered is that he is currently kept at the Mbabane Police Station.
According to the Swaziland Civil Aviation Authority (SWACAA) Act of 2009, all people who need to fly an aircraft for whatever purpose are supposed to obtain a licence from SWACAA. This is the same gadget which Shongwe once alleged had gone missing while flying in the direction of Somhlolo National Stadium where members of the League of Churches were arriving for the Easter services.
The small aircraft was allegedly on a mission to record everything that was happening at the stadium and surrounding areas during the services. In a previous interview with the Times SUNDAY, Shongwe said that the spy aircraft was worth E20 000.
Comments
Rob, did you notice the Kings crops had been gathered in as well. Its a really pretty place,used to be somewhere that folks from here hopped across the border to gamble in when such things were frowned upon this side.
Hi Gary,
I did flick through the Swazi Times, wow that's a hotbed of intrigue and action, someone got married !!!
You have to put this one into context a few minutes with Google and you will find Hunter has been hacking off the Swazi great and good in other ways. I was rather hoping people would click through to the Swazi Times and get an insight into the goings on of a small African state. One that I can see on a clear day if I am flying high enough (manned)
Craig, that certainly was a bit of a rant. I don't think anyone is plotting to take our "normal RC things" away from you.
I do feel that we need a licensing system in place as soon as possible in the USA to ensure that those of us that have good reasons to to use drones for commercial purposes can do that. I will be one of those users, and I'm happy to go through a licensing process because I feel it will make the public safer. Drones are going to really take off in the next few years, and if we don't regulate them I can picture many scenarios in which they really could cause problems.
Of course, the worst possible outcome for everyone would be a complete ban on commerical use of UAVs, but there is no way anyone is going to ban "normal RC things".
Common sense does no apply here. It does not matter that all potential problems with regard to personal UAV's are already covered in existing laws governing privacy and restricted airspace etc.
UAV's is a hot topic at the moment, and the politicians are coming out of the woodwork to make a name for themselves, at the expense of a small minority (UAV enthusiasts like us).