How to ensure airspace safety with drone operations-Idowu
The president of Nigeria Unmanned Systems and Robotics Association (NUSA), Air Vice Marshal Olufemi Idowu (Rtd) said, the body would continue to liaise with appropriate Nigeria licensing authorities to ensure that safety is not compromised while operating drones.
Not a few are of the view that the right legislation and regulations regarding the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are a step in the right direction for aircraft accident investigation
Drones may be the source of groans in the aviation industry, with many causing delayed flights and safety hazards. But what about the vast potential for UAVs to provide assistance and even improve safety? Here’s a look at how drones could help rather than hinder airports.
According to Nigeria’s national aviation authority, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), flying a drone is legal in Nigeria but recommends being aware of and compliant with the drone regulations listed below before doing so.
In an airport setting, drones are a significant hazard. When a drone is sucked into a jet engine, for instance, the metal or plastic device with high-capacity batteries has the potential to cause far more damage than that created by a bird strike.
A drone coming into contact with a fast-moving plane can damage the body of the plane or the windshield. Today, airports shut down flights when a drone is sighted for precisely these reasons – like the well-publicised Gatwick Airport shutdown in December Christmas 2018.
Speaking at a safety seminar held recently at the NIGAV Centre Murtala Mohammad International Airport Ikeja, with the theme ‘Safety and risk management for unmanned aircraft operations’ Idowu, explained that NUSA will ensure that interested members or would-be members were duly licensed by the NCAA in order to sustain safety in the airspace while fostering development on the private unmanned system.
“Today, NUSA as part of its commitment to the safe and responsible use of unmanned aircraft in Nigeria is hosting this seminar to better educate members on safety and risk management in unmanned aircraft operations”
He disclosed that the organisation was striving hard with a specific target to reach non-members of NUSA especially the unlicensed ones whose operations may likely constitute a safety hazard in the national airspace.
Idowu, further explained that NUSA will not encourage unauthorised operators in order to continue ensuring safety in the airspace.”We serve as a body of knowledge on unmanned systems for government regulatory bodies as well as interested stakeholders and end users of unmanned systems, especially remotely piloted aircraft systems”
Earlier in his welcome address, the chairman of Dronteck and host of the seminar, Mr. Fortune Idu, said NUSA is an NGO duly recognised by the NCAA as a body founded to foster, develop and promote unmanned vehicle systems and robotics technologies in the country.
Idu said the UAS and the autonomous vehicle industry have continued to grow at an exponential rate with the country left behind adding that the emerging industry remained a game changer with huge potential to create jobs in software and hardware engineering while empowering other sectors to deliver speed and efficiency.
Idu however lamented that drone entrepreneurship has continued to pose major safety challenges worldwide.
He noted that the vertical control which comes from regulation and monitoring was not completely firmed and harmonised with the regular aviation or manned aircraft system and Airspace was being developed
“This is a very sensitive window that can lead to disaster which should be a safety concern to all. As this industry continues to grow fast, so also the risk that comes with unsafe operations”
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