The Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) or drones sector has encouraged the Department of Transport (DOT) to consider updated air traffic control legislation within cities and rural areas to allow for longer range flights in the delivery of critical goods.
This is as the DOT, in its reminder to all stakeholders regarding the fast approaching closing date for comments regarding the gazetted Airfreight Strategy of South Africa acknowledged the usage of drones or UAVs in the provision of seamless services and movement of goods in the airfreight sub-sector.
DOT national spokesperson Collen Msibi said the assessment revealed a critical challenge: while passenger and commercial aviation have made significant advances, the airfreight sub-sector remains relatively underdeveloped and fragmented. This limits the country’s trade and logistical capabilities, highlighting the need for a more integrated and efficient airfreight network to unlock its full potential.
Msibi said to turn around this current situation, the draft Airfreight Strategy for South Africa aims to unlock the full economic potential of the airfreight sub-sector by addressing systemic challenges such as fragmented cargo corridors, market barriers, and weak regional connectivity.
Msibi said, “Its originality is on the 11 identified priority areas of focus and one of these is the usage of drones or UAVs in the provision of seamless services and movement of goods in the airfreight sub-sector. Amongst key elements of the strategy is the role of drones, which is explicitly articulated in the draft Airfreight Strategy for South Africa Drones or UAVs are included not as a simple technical innovation in the envisaged Airfreight Strategy for South Africa but as a critical enabler designed to significantly multiply the efficiency, inclusivity, and resilience of the entire national airfreight system.”
Industry analysts have said current remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) regulations in South Africa were restrictive, difficult to navigate and expensive to comply with as no matter what size of drone and what application an operator uses it for or where, the operator is required to have an Air Services License from the DOT, go through a five-phase remote operator certificate (ROC) application process, and have appointed post holders in their organisation or in a consulting capacity to cover six posts.
They said the control and governance required to keep the ROC renewed on an annual basis is costly and arduous.They have also called for legislation to facilitate local design and manufacturing of drones as most operators currently use imported Chinese enterprise merchandise.
Drone Logistics Ecosystem Africa Chapter director Gary Vermaak, said it was important for the strategy to facilitate Beyond Visual Line of Sight of Operators legislation so that drones could be utilised over longer distances than the current 25 kilometre radius restriction.
He said whatever air traffic control systems put in place also had to consider the altitude allowed for drones in both rural and urban areas. The legislation also had to consider the longitude of drones.
“It is great to see them put in place new legislation, it is important that the various aspects of air traffic movement are monitored. For drones to be useful, as they are needed in the cities in the delivery of medical supplies like blood and organs. It is a lot faster to deliver blood by drone than by road. There is a need for greater range in the rural areas, places like the Limpopo, North West, Northern Cape and the Karoo have vast distances and there is a need to allow longer range” Vermaak said.
Msibi said given the public conversation on drones that has sparked in the wake of publication of the draft Airfreight Strategy for South Africa, it is essential for the DOT to reaffirm its policy position on the registration of drones which by extension will also be applicable to the envisaged strategy that the South African Civil Aviation Authority continue to oversee the regulation of civilian of which the regulation should be within a clear and well-structured framework to ensure that operations align with international norms and standards related to aviation safety, security and environmental protection.
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