Please Help: New RC/Drone Regulations in Malawi / Africa
10-22-2017, 06:08 AM
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Please Help: New RC/Drone Regulations in Malawi / Africa
New account - I am new here. Without a home RC club or forum, I turn to the worlds RC community & internet for help. Hoping that you guys really are the RC universe ;-) Just posted this also on reddit (sorry not allowed to post links yet).
Malawi a small country in Africa and by some measures the poorest country in the world. The GDP per Capita is somewhere just over USD 300 per person per year. Aviation is tiny with an estimated 20 aircraft registered in the country of which only a portion are actually flying. The economy, education and health services are all pretty dis-functional. With a population of around 17 Million, it is quite densely populated and the future outlook is bleak, especially for the younger generation. Basic daily necessities are unattainable for the majority of the population. The country is riddled with regulations that inhibit development and potentially criminalize a large part of the population.
What does all this have to do with the RC/UAV/drone hobby? Recently some new legislation has been proposed, which is currently open for public review. The new regulations seek to regulate every type of remotely piloted aircraft, which seems to include common RC aircraft, now often referred to as drones. We seem to want to solve problems through regulation, where there is no problem to date and are actually creating a problem.
All readers are requested to read through the regulations and provide feedback to the authority. With the poor state of affairs in the country it is likely that there will be minimal feedback and this regulation will be enacted without any debate or proper review. If we can get some meaningful review then at least there is a chance that those in charge will take note and allow for some basic concessions.
In summary:
www voanews com / a / proposed-drone-usage-regulations-malawi-resistance/4050116.html (sorry cannot post links yet)
Copy of the draft regulations is attached. You may also request a copy by email from the addresses below, but it may be a while before you actually receive an answer. Comments from the public are accepted until 31th October 2017. Please submit your comments by email to:
Civil Aviation Authority, P.Bag 322, Capital City, Lilongwe 3, Malawi
Aeronautical Information Services <aishq at civilaviation dot gov dot mw>
flightops at civilaviation dot gov dot mw
Or speak with or contact your MP (if in Malawi).
Thanks for reading! Please share this text and re-post. Your help is appreciated!
TL;DR
New "drone" legislation proposed in Malawi seem unnecessarily heavy handed and are likely going to create problems where there were none at present, further throwing the country back in its struggle to develop. Only large commercial operators can afford the compliance paperwork and costs. Small players are marginalized and outlawed.
Malawi a small country in Africa and by some measures the poorest country in the world. The GDP per Capita is somewhere just over USD 300 per person per year. Aviation is tiny with an estimated 20 aircraft registered in the country of which only a portion are actually flying. The economy, education and health services are all pretty dis-functional. With a population of around 17 Million, it is quite densely populated and the future outlook is bleak, especially for the younger generation. Basic daily necessities are unattainable for the majority of the population. The country is riddled with regulations that inhibit development and potentially criminalize a large part of the population.
What does all this have to do with the RC/UAV/drone hobby? Recently some new legislation has been proposed, which is currently open for public review. The new regulations seek to regulate every type of remotely piloted aircraft, which seems to include common RC aircraft, now often referred to as drones. We seem to want to solve problems through regulation, where there is no problem to date and are actually creating a problem.
All readers are requested to read through the regulations and provide feedback to the authority. With the poor state of affairs in the country it is likely that there will be minimal feedback and this regulation will be enacted without any debate or proper review. If we can get some meaningful review then at least there is a chance that those in charge will take note and allow for some basic concessions.
In summary:
- There is no infrastructure in place for any of the proposed training, nor would there be enough demand to sustain such institutions.
- Any kids who want to dabble with a small pocket quad copter are essentially outlawed and driven underground.
- It raises the bar of entry and only serves to protect the position of large aerial UN contractors. Smaller market players are essentially barred from entry to the market. Hobby enthusiast are effectively outlawed.
- The bar of entry into aviation is raised. How many now pilots started off flying RC aircraft?
- There are no and have never been any clubs in the country. The costs and paperwork to register any such club would outweigh any benefit. Even with hypothetical clubs in place, it seems quite inappropriate to join a club for a bit of park, backyard or even indoor flying.
- The meaning of "model aircraft" are "toy aircraft" and a "hobby aircraft" (page 7) and open to interpretation.
- Draconian penalties are proposed, equivalent to over 3 annual incomes of the average person, plus jail time!
- Administration requirements exceed that of the average persons capabilities.
www voanews com / a / proposed-drone-usage-regulations-malawi-resistance/4050116.html (sorry cannot post links yet)
Copy of the draft regulations is attached. You may also request a copy by email from the addresses below, but it may be a while before you actually receive an answer. Comments from the public are accepted until 31th October 2017. Please submit your comments by email to:
Civil Aviation Authority, P.Bag 322, Capital City, Lilongwe 3, Malawi
Aeronautical Information Services <aishq at civilaviation dot gov dot mw>
flightops at civilaviation dot gov dot mw
Or speak with or contact your MP (if in Malawi).
Thanks for reading! Please share this text and re-post. Your help is appreciated!
TL;DR
New "drone" legislation proposed in Malawi seem unnecessarily heavy handed and are likely going to create problems where there were none at present, further throwing the country back in its struggle to develop. Only large commercial operators can afford the compliance paperwork and costs. Small players are marginalized and outlawed.
