KQ Drone License to cost pilots KSH 180,000
Aspiring drone pilots seeking to train with Kenya Airways will part with Sh180,000 for a month course to obtain a Remote Pilot License (RPL) as the national carrier moves to diversify its revenue stream in the wake of low demand for passengers.KQ through its Fahari subsidiary, has opened training course for those interested in operating drones but do not have licences, which is a prerequisite by the civil aviation agency. KQ’s technical director Evans Kihara in a response to Business Daily queries said the charges will exclude the cost of obtaining a Class 3 aviation medical exam which costs about Sh10,000. “We have an introductory price of Sh180,000 for a Remote Pilot License (RPL) training course. The training will take four weeks and will comprise theory and practical sessions,” said Mr Kihara yesterday.
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Fahari pilots new approach to Kenya's wildlife census with UAS
Fahari Aviation’s drones and crew piloted the use of drones in the exercise that aims to establish a national baseline of wildlife populations and their distribution in Kenya. The census was coordinated by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and the newly established Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI) with financial support from the national government. Fahari Aviation aims to pilot the beneficial use of drones and unmanned aircraft in supporting vast ecosystems and wildlife conservation efforts. This includes their cost effectiveness in operations while still achieving the desired results of data output.
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Kenya Airways and Skyports to launch drone delivery service in Kenya
Advanced air mobility (AAM) company Skyports has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the flag carrier airline of Kenya, Kenya Airways, to collaborate on launching permanent unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations in the country. Joint efforts have already begun across drone delivery and inspection use cases. This collaboration brings together Kenya Airways’ significant expertise in aviation services and Skyports’ drone delivery logistics service – Delivery by Skyports. In the coming three months, the aim of the partnership is to explore the commercial viability and impact of a variety of medical, logistical and inspection use cases alongside Kenya’s leading public and private institutions. The target for the launch of the first drone delivery flights is Q3-Q4 2021.
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THE CIVIL AVIATION (UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS) REGULATIONS, 2020
General Rules for Flying a Drone in Kenya
Based on our research and interpretation of the laws, here are the most important rules to know for flying a drone in Kenya.
- A Kenyan citizen or resident must be at least 18 years old in order to own and operate a drone (Applicants should have a company registered in Kenya).
- Importing or exporting drones is only allowed with the approval of the KCAA.
- A person shall not transfer ownership of a drone without the approval of the KCAA.
- Operators must register their drone with the Authority and be issued with a certificate of registration.
- All drone operations must be conducted under a specific operational category based on risk factors.
- Commercial drone operations require operators to obtain a Remote Aircraft Operators Certificate (ROC) from the Authority.
- Drones shall not fly above 400 feet AGL or within (164 feet) 50 metres of any person, vessel, or vehicle that is not part of the operation.
- A pilot shall not fly a drone in non-Visual Meteorological Conditions or at night unless authorized by the Authority.
- No person shall operate an Unmanned Aircraft System over a public road or along the public road of at a distance of less than (164 feet) 50 metres.
- A public roadway shall not be used as a place of landing or take-off of a drone.
- Operating a drone within 10 kilometres of an airport from the airport reference point for code C, D, E, and F airports is prohibited without authorization.
- Operating a drone within 7 kilometres of an airport from the airport reference point for code A and B airports is prohibited without authorization.
For more information on drone laws in Kenya, see this page on the KCAA WEBSITE.
Know something we don’t about drone laws in Kenya? Send us an email at fly@fahari-aviation.com
We strive to keep this page up-to-date for drone pilots and enthusiasts. Given the pace of the drone industry and evolving regulations are evolving, feel free to reach out to us with updated information that may not be appearing on our site.
LEAPFROGGING INTO THE FUTURE: DRONES IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
Drones in Sub-Saharan Africa have a complicated past. For most part of this century drones have been used there for military purposes. Thanks to this, but also due to a lack of well-established infrastructure, many people do not associate commercial drone technology with the African continent. In fact, some would argue that the African continent needs to fully industrialise first before eying up technologies like drones. However, research shows that almost the exact opposite is true.
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AFRICAN EXPERIMENTS WITH DRONE TECHNOLOGIES COULD LEAPFROG DECADES OF INFRASTRUCTURE NEGLECT
A drone revolution is coming to sub-Saharan Africa. Countries across the continent are experimenting with this 21st century technology as a way to leapfrog decades of neglect of 20th century infrastructure. Africa’s commercial drone history is largely compressed to a handful of projects and countries within the last 5-7 years. Several governments have jumped out ahead on UAV policy. Over the last year and a half Kenya, Ghana, and Tanzania have issued or updated drone regulatory guidelines and announced future UAV initiatives.
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