Just as the change in the political landscape has brought hope and the real prospect of economic growth, so will the exciting developments in the commercial drone industry allow for renewed optimism.

During the 2017 DroneCon conference, Dr Roelof Botha presented his economic impact study relating to the potential contribution of the industry to the South African economy. His report astonished many when it indicated that commercial drone activities should generate more than R2-billion in gross revenue and create more than 25 000 jobs, something South Africa desperately needs.

Since the conference in July 2017 the number of ROC’s (RPAS Operating Certificates) issued has increased to 21, the number of RLA’d (RPAS letter of Approval) aircraft to 100 and the number of RPL (Remote pilots licence) pilots to more than 600. It is estimated that there are more than 40 000 drones in South Africa at present and based on the international average of 6.3% (2 520 aircraft) being used for commercial purposes there is a “gap” of more than 2400.

The Commercial Aviation Association of South Africa (CAASA) has mentioned that there are more than 340 applications for ROC licences pending and without a valid ROC it is simply impossible to work legally on any job, no matter how small.

The other key challenge in the Industry and the effective “holy grail” is the capacity to fly beyond visual line of sight. This capability is where the real opportunity for Drones to add value is unlocked and until now only one of the 21 operators has been authorised to perform this type of operation. The reason for the challenge in issuing BVLOS authority is the fact that until now no training organisation has been approved to train pilots to perform this complex and elevated risk type operation.

Why will 2018 be different?

Firstly, CUAASA, the commercial unmanned aviation association, announced at its AGM in January that it was finalising the compilation of a dossier to present to the CAA. This document will demonstrate the acute shortcomings of the regulator in its capacity to expedite the growth of the industry. It will further define the commercial impact in terms of cost and quantify the tangible losses incurred by applicants and ROC holders alike due to delays.

This project is the culmination of more than 3 years of frustration, confusion and unnecessary limitation on the growth of the industry. In addition to the quantification of losses it will also demonstrate that companies are both willing and able to comply with the stringent safety requirements as set out in Part 101 of the CAA regulations, but that the process and capacity within the regulator is significantly lacking when compared to other countries.

The challenge is easily visible. The industry association has assembled a capable team of legal, commercial and technical members that will look to engage with the regulator to find a way to speed up the process of issuing licences without compromising air safety. Failure to achieve meaningful improvements will ultimately result in a “class action” lawsuit, which is of course the least desirable outcome.

The primary reason for the planned action is to improve aviation safety as it is estimated that more than 99% of drones in SA are effectively unregulated due to enforcement and other challenges and that the less than 1% that are in the regulatory process are being driven to bankruptcy. This situation has resulted in the exponential growth of “rogue” operators who are fighting for survival or have simply given up their dreams. The industry association, backed by CAASA the  are optimistic that positive change can be effected and that the industry, together with the regulator and other stakeholders will find a viable solution to the challenges faced.

Secondly, one ROC holder and commercial drone operator has heard the cries from smaller businesses and “one man/woman” operations and clearly understands that it is impossible for an individual person to hold an ROC and as such has created a legal, viable and especially affordable solution to get you operating in less than 30 days. This solution is aimed at the film and media market and is specifically intended to address the needs of the high volume “light” user with low risk operations.  Drone Media (Pty)Ltd will be presenting their full day orientation course on day 3 of the 2018 DroneCon conference.

Finally, BVLOS is where it is in terms of real commercial capability and to address the requirements of operators looking to expand their Ops spec and position themselves to take advantage of the real commercial opportunities, a full-day Masterclass is planned on day 3 of the DroneCon conference. Facilitated by a renowned international Professor from Italy and his local business partners (both ex CAA experts), the course will aim to help the aspirant BVLOS organisation better understand this complex topic. Course content will include an overview of the relevant International and South African regulations, key technical considerations when selecting and procuring aircraft, training considerations, maintenance requirements and of course the ever-challenging Ops Manual. Practical scenarios will be discussed, and the expected outcome will be a clearer understanding of the laws and requirements to successfully obtain a BVLOS endorsement on your ROC.
 

DroneCon 2018, Africa’s largest commercial drone conference is taking place from 16 -18 May 2018 at Vodacom World Conference Centre in Midrand.

Visit www.dronecon.co.za for more information and to book your seat.

If you’re serious about a commercial drone future, this is an absolute must!