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Drones Are Officially Legal In Kenya

drones legal in Kenya

image: Capital FM

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The Civil Aviation (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) Regulations, 2019 Act has been approved, which means Kenyans have won the legal right to own and operate drones. Previously it was technically illegal for anyone but the military to have a drone in the country.

This win helps businesses and individuals who require the devices for photography or content creation, mapping or rescue missions among other things. For a long time, the law derailed drone programs from major players including Facebook, Uber Google, and the Kenya Red Cross. There has been an extensive history of getting drones approved for public use.

In 2016, drone enthusiasts insisted on a licensing system so they could use them in the country. This was easily granted, and in February 2017, Kenya became the second African country after Rwanda to approve the use of non-military drones. Regardless, the rules were still relatively strict, limiting the times and even models that could be flown.

Things took a turn in June 2018 when the Kenyan Parliament invalidated drone regulations from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA). Flying a drone became punishable by a prison sentence of up to 12 months. These were due to several concerns, including a lack of public participation, insufficient attention to personal privacy, and inconsistencies in the application of fines.

However, in 2019 progress was made when Parliament considered revised rules, that have since been approved on the 30th of March 2020.

In determining whether to register a drone or issue any authorization licence, the Authority shall consider the following:

A person shall be eligible to own a drone if that person is –

A certificate issued by the Authority shall be valid for 12 months.

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