Drone licence pricing ....

[Hawkeye]

Doing a reasonable amount of commercial photography and video work, having a drone in my arsenal of possibilities makes perfect sense . So purchased a mid-range well known drone brand that does the Job. Rather quickly got the run of this contraption and enjoyed using it , everything legal !!!! no issue .

Now I want to use it commercially for specific tasks , in essence without the relevant drone licence it is illegal to use it commercially , I can do the exact same work for pleasure or privately without any issues but the second I charge for work I must be licenced .

So far so good …. I have my PPL ( for a few years already and have owned a number of planes) this is where the fun starts …… I have all the relevant subjects under my belt , need to do a flight planning exam ( Not with SACAA , but the relevant organisations own test , then do a flight test with them ) NB NB - I personally agree that over a particular weight and altitude a drone pilot weather commercial or not should be licenced . (and the drone registered .... for VERRY GOOD REASON.)

This is where I got to realise that somewhere there is an issue , the price was way way out, in-fact they wanted to charge me R20k + for a flight test and to do the 20 question exam……. All sorts of invalid excuses , I asked the one chap a few questions about flight in controlled air space which he could not even answer ….

Something is wrong !

Im going to fly anyway .

[_juju_]

Something is wrong !

A good many people have saying this for a good while already, but it's an old boys club...

Don't forget that to work commercially it doesn't end with the RPL, that's the easy part. You have to have (or fly under) an ROC (as they reckon that you're technically running an airline). Wishing you Godspeed with that. SA is woefully over regulated when compared with countries that have airspace much much busier than ours.

[Hawkeye]

I have spoken to the powers that be , and I am keeping some of the emails....im not complaining about the regulations but rather the cost that some of the autborised institutes are charging, it is going to be interesting when the eventualy take some form of legal action against me .....I have all the formal competancies ........just not willing to be complicit in extortion...one thing for sure this will collaps under the current "protection" system is in place.

What is sad is that some of these instructors and companies have little understanding of the bigger picture but try charge a master piece in price for there limited aviation exposure ........

What is eveident that the industry is already full of buisnesses that believe they know, and now thought they knew ....... easy to see by studying the lists ,extinguished companies out there.........

[danie.e]

Simple case of a few that saw the gap, took it and together with the "legal" regulators in South Africa ensured that it is very expensive and difficult to break into the "newly regulated" fold of drone business. The same people that "wrote the book" are now reaping in millions for their "efforts"

It has become a multi billion Rand industry and those at the top of the heap will not easily share the spoils

[Hawkeye]

Hi Danie, I have no issue with the drone industry being regulated and I sincearly believe it needs to be for many reasons, firstly drones occupy the same airspace that all aircraft fly in....often flown by individuals that have little understanding what the consequences are should there be a colision with a manned aircraft , also I have had my privacy invaded by an inividual that just did not think, (18 years old), however the law currently is difficult to comply with , but belive me it will change ..........and sooner than later...........the process is already underway.

[_juju_]

... but belive me it will change ..........and sooner than later...........the process is already underway.

Any references you care to share here?

[nicofly]

Hi Danie, I have no issue with the drone industry being regulated and I sincearly believe it needs to be for many reasons, firstly drones occupy the same airspace that all aircraft fly in....often flown by individuals that have little understanding what the consequences are should there be a colision with a manned aircraft , also I have had my privacy invaded by an inividual that just did not think, (18 years old), however the law currently is difficult to comply with , but belive me it will change ..........and sooner than later...........the process is already underway.

Most everyone licensed do have an issue with how the industry is regulated, the few that don't will jump quickly on here to try and "douse" the flame of this reality because why ??? Because they are working for those "few" reaping in the billions Danie speak of

The concerns you speak of is not relevant to the problem facing Rpas pilots in South Africa, those concerns are obvious and no brainers that needs to be in place, the problem comes in when you want to make money out of the work you are doing.

Airspace sharing, privacy invasion will be a dust mite compared to what the monopoly owners have in store for you wrt the stipulated, calculated and well planned over regulation they have spend years to create for those eager to waste their money on certification.

It's dessert for them to watch you squeal and crawl to get certified knowing that you paid for this pink elephant they present you with, boldly patting you on the back as you get duped.

Overseas the opportunities are BRIGHT, our industry is simply a monopoly game by the few at the top, with no interest or passion whatsoever to take the industry's gigantic potential forward.

One last bit of advice, don't fool yourself into thinking the industry will change, it never will, the noise you hear in the news and the 'big talk' propaganda you see we all heard for over 5 years now, and always amounts to absolutely nothing, the propaganda is all part of the well planned tactics to keep the game in tact, its simple, people want change, tell them it will change, but then do nothing, a line straight out of fooling the sheep 101.

And its been working out all dandy, buying some more time to come up with the next publicity stint to fool the die hard believers and newly aspired batch of sheep.

[Hawkeye]

Nicofly, fortunnatly I have most of the relevant qualifications to obtain the licence reasonably easily .............My issue resulted when asking for pricing to do a "test" flight then wwas promptly told that I would have to work through a registered orginisation even if I do get my licence . Whatever my concerns are , and they will be rectified will also result in many others being able to entre into the lower end of the market.

My interest is to add an offering to my existing portfolio by doing it my self ............simple .......but in essence illegal.....

I have the willingness to fight this , even more inportant we have the means as well ..............

Not one of these companies has tried to contact me to see why I am so disgrunteled ........