Months after the country banned the use of drones, the Kenyan Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) drafted strict regulations that would regulate the use of the technology.
The regulation pays special attention to the privacy and security of people in the country to promote peaceful coexistence and prevent public risks, terrorist activities and criminal activities.
The rule requires drone owners and operators to be certified by authorities.
The owner or operator of an aircraft equipped with a camera or other sensing device must respect the privacy of people and their property. Without permission, individuals may not photograph or film any person or their property for publication or public communication purposes.
But before new rules on the use of drones and other drone systems come into effect, approval from parliament must be obtained.
In 2019, anyone operating a drone system equipped with a camera or other sensing device should operate in a responsible manner to respect the privacy of others and their property-“Civil Aviation 2019 ( UAV SYSTEMS) ORDINANCE
The National Assembly majority leader, Aden Dualed, has proposed rules for debate.
However, the new regulations allow the technology to be used to map and assess the Earth’s surface, including terrain and surface water bodies and other features; forest surveys and forest management; search and rescue and other surveys of vegetation or wildlife.
For security reasons, the new regulations require operators to conduct background checks on all personnel recruited to deploy, handle and store any drone system. They will also be asked to check their criminal records every 24 months.
In addition, aircraft owners and operators will be required to prevent unauthorized use and use of equipment.