The
Drone Industry in Jamaica is dying a slow death in Jamaica.
It's
been a year since the JCAA (Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority) issued guidelines
on the use of drones in Jamaica as described in my blog article
entitled “JCAA
Drones Regulations - Why GOJ Double-Standard suggest Commercial Drone Pilot
Licenses are coming”.
Now
a year later, these regulations are still in effect and compliance is high as
reported in the article “Drone
Operators Abiding By Guidelines, Says JCAA”, published Thursday April 21,
2016 by Sherine Williams, The Jamaica
Gleaner.
According
to JCAA's Deputy Director General for Regulatory Affairs, Rohan Campbell,
professional drone operators can apply for JCAA's Special Aerial Work Permit
which is free of cost. The process to get a permit takes two (2) days whether sent
by letter or email but it isn't as straightforward as it might sound.
JCAA's Restrictive
Special Aerial Work Permit - Why Drone Industry is inevitable as Ministry of
Agriculture
First,
the JCAA has to check the location where the drones are to be flown. If on
checking the area they discover there is a potential for a breach in
guidelines, they permit will not be granted.
Even
more annoying is that you have to have a permit for every event. This means
that if you applied late, you won’t get your permit in time, something that is
a thorny issue for many professional Drone Operators as noted in the article “Drone
Operator Says JCAA Guidelines Are Restrictive”, published Thursday April
21, 2016 by Sherine Williams, The Jamaica
Gleaner.
So
guess my Jamaica Drone Developer
Competition will not ever become reality, as the skies are not open for FPV
(First Person Viewing) Racing as described in my blog article
entitled “How
Luke Bannister won the UAE's inaugural World Drone Prix as World Future Sports
Games in December 2017”.
however,
the Jamaican Police are interested in using drones for fighting crime as
evidenced form their use in St. James in their eyes in the Sky Project as noted
in my blog
article entitled “Eye
in the Sky Project in Montego Bay – How Drones reduce Crime in St James in 6
months as NAITS Initiative gets Rebooted”.
Still,
with the Ministry of Agriculture seeking to use Drones for surveillance for
Honduran fishermen in the Pedro Banks as noted in my blog article
entitled “@agriministryja
Poacher Spotting Drones – Ministry of National Security to Determine How Drones
can Fly Farther” a Drone Industry is inevitable.
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