The Federal Government has announced the prohibition of unauthorised drones within the Nigerian airspace.
This ban was contained in a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday by the General Manager, Public Relations of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Sam Adurogboye.
Adurogboye noted that before Remotely Piloted Aircraft, RPA, also known as drone, can be launched in the Nigerian airspace, a permit must be obtained from the Office of National Security Adviser, ONSA.
Spokesman of the NCAA explained that the move was part of the safety guidelines issued by the regulatory agency to drone operators, following the proliferation of the technology in the country.
He said in recent times, RPA/UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) are being deployed for commercial and recreational purposes in the country without adequate security clearance. Therefore, with the preponderance of these operations, particularly in a non-segregated airspace, there has to be proactive safety guidelines.
Adurogboye expressed that, “The development of the use of RPA nationwide has emerged with somewhat predictable safety concerns and security threats.”
According to the statement, the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, is yet to publish Standards and Recommended Practices, SARPs, as far as certification and operation of civil use of RPA is concerned.
The statement said the NCAA had put in place Regulations/Advisory Circular to guide the certification and operations of civil RPA in the Nigerian airspace. It said this was contained in the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig. CARs 2015 Part 8.8.1.33) and the Implementing Standards (Nig.CARs 2015 Part IS.8.8.1.33).
It said: “Therefore, no government agency, organisation or an individual will launch an RPA/UAV in the Nigerian airspace for any purpose whatsoever without obtaining requisite permit from the NCAA and ONSA.
“The NCAA wishes to reiterate that all applicants and holders of permits to operate RPA/Drones must strictly be guided by safety guidelines.
“In addition, operators must ensure strict compliance with the conditions stipulated in their permits and the requirements of the Nig. CARs.”
