Action needed to integrate UAVs into civilian airspace in South Africa – Denel

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Manufacturer (UAV) Denel Dynamics (which also produces missiles and space technology) called for a national program to integrate drones (popularly known as drones) into civilian controlled airspace from the country. Controlled airspace is an airspace in which all air traffic is monitored and controlled by air traffic control

Addressing the Aeronautical Session of the Southern African Transport Conference in Pretoria, Executive Director of Denel Dynamics: Programs Patrick Ndlovu advocated a collaborative effort among UAV manufacturers, manufacturers of air navigation equipment, the South African Civil Aviation Authority (Sacaa ), Navigation and Air Navigation Services (ATNS) and other users of airspace.

program that would extend over 18 years. Phase 1 would last five years and establish the safety regime for UAVs. Phase 2 would integrate UAV operations in controlled airspace "up to a certain level", for example, up to an altitude of 1,500 feet; it would also last five years. Phase 3 would fully integrate UAV operations into controlled airspace.

He admitted that it had lasted a long time, but he noted that there was a lot to do – it was a "mega task". A possible technology aid would be the development of miniaturized but long-range transponders, which would allow air traffic control to track small UAVs. (Small UAVs are the main safety issue, large ones can be easily detected and tracked by radar and can accommodate existing transponders.)

Another crucial role of the proposed program was simply to bring together the key players, so that they can reach a mutual understanding of the needs and opportunities offered by UAVs. Currently, he observed, the ATNS infrastructure for handling UAVs was totally inadequate. And relations between the UAV industry and Sacaa were currently in a "dead end".

South Africa was among the first countries to promulgate regulations for UAVs. Unfortunately, these are expensive. They require a liability insurance of 500 000 rand for each drone. UAV pilots must be retested annually, including medical tests. Registered UAVs can be used on a single designated site. And Sacaa requires excessive manpower for UAV operators – each operator must have an operations manager, a security officer, and a training officer.

But in the real world, many UAV services are individual operations. simply can not meet these requirements. In addition, there is a rapid growth in the number of UAVs operated in South Africa and a rapid growth in the demand for UAV services.

This has consequences. The use of UAV to provide commercial services in South Africa is currently estimated at a market of R2 billion. But, of this, only R300-million is accounted for by officially registered and certified operations. The remaining Rs. 1.7 billion is estimated to be generated by "informal" operations. The official UAV sector is estimated to have created some 3,600 jobs, while the informal UAV sector has generated nearly 31,000 jobs.

At the same time, new categories of drones are being developed abroad, including remotely piloted remote control vehicles. cargo planes, and dirigible drones. "In South Africa, we have not seen new developments [such]," said Ndlovu

. Nevertheless, the country has a developed and growing manufacturing sector. "Denel has been manufacturing and operating UAVs safely for 38 years," he said.