Simone Allotey making his presentation
The Director General of Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Simon Allotey, has declared that operators of drones risk being sanctioned if found violating the laid down rules for the operation of such devices.
According to him, any operator who breaches the rules could have the licence to operate withdrawn while in very serious offences, the culprit is also likely to be charged to appear before the law court.
A drone, according to him, is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or an aircraft without human pilot aboard.
Drones are manufactured to serve a number of functions which include providing intelligence, tactical support, hack into phone lines or computers to gather vital information, as well as observe traffic and public behaviour.
“In Ghana, the use of drones is becoming a common feature these days; it is, however, disturbing the manner in which they are used since many operators fly these devices without taking into account respect for privacy and the nature of the area it is being piloted,” he lamented.
Speaking to journalists at the 2nd International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) which opened at Kempinski Hotel, Gold Coast City, Accra, early this week, Mr Allotey stressed that it has become very necessary to put across measures to regulate their indiscriminate use.
Flying drones indiscriminately can be disastrous, especially for aircrafts in motion, he remarked.
Mr Allotey was hopeful that when the law on the use of drones is finally passed later in the year, managers and operators will be guided by the ethics of flying the unmanned devices.
The director general called for collaboration with relevant stakeholders such as members of parliament, security agencies, Ministries of Communication and Information for tighter modalities before the situation turns critical.
By Solomon Ofori