Aviation Group Highlights Risks in Drone Use

• Aviation Group Highlights Risks in Drone Use

A group, Airports Council International (ACI), has higlighted the risks posed by remotely piloted aircraft otherwise known as drones.

This formed the kernel of its new publication it said is an Advisory Bulletin to help airports address all these risks.

ACI World Director-General, Angela Gittens, said the bulletin is part of efforts by the global body to regulate the use of drones and its attendant effects on aircraft operations.

Investigations reveal that across the globe , drones are used for courier, security and logistics business.

The global market for commercial applications of drone technology, currently estimated at about $2 billion, will rise to as much as $127 billion by 2020.

In the past five years, the drone industry has seen impressive growth around the globe.

Both the public and private sectors have leveraged unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in countless ways, whether to improve public safety surveillance in law enforcement, inspect power lines by utility companies, and even save lives in disaster recovery efforts

This exponential growth is testing the limits of traditional air traffic management systems to safely integrate drones into the airspace.

Civil Aviation Authorities (CAAs), Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs), and local authorities around the world are working to enable safe and secure access to the low-altitude airspace for drones.

Investigations reveal that drone operations is gaining acceptance in Nigeria, where they are used for surveillance; aerial photography and other business activities.

But, their use is subject to meeting the stringent regulations set by civil aviation , airport and security authorities.