The ARCO Aviation Academy has called on the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority to stop uncertified pilots from indiscriminately flying drones in the country.The academy warned that if not regulated, indiscriminate drone operations pose a serious danger to the airspace and its users.
The Chief Instructor of the institute, Samuel Sunday, made the appeal while addressing newsmen during the graduation of 12 students who were trained and certified as Visual Line of Sight Pilots at the academy in Port Harcourt on Friday.Sunday urged the NCAA to ensure that only qualified and certified individuals are permitted to operate drones in the national airspace. He said the failure to strictly enforce drone regulations could lead to interference with aeroplanes, helicopters and other airspace users, thereby endangering passengers and crew.
“Drone pilots must get this training to make the airspace safer. If you don’t come for training and you feel you have the money to buy a drone and just put it in the air, you are endangering the lives of many Nigerians. “But coming out to get the training will give you the skills to make the airspace safer. I am saying that the regulator should stop those who don’t have certification from flying drones. When you send your drones into the airspace without the requisite training, it may affect plane operations and endanger the lives of people,” he explained.
Sunday said the academy was established to curb brain drain and reduce capital flight by providing drone pilot certification locally, eliminating the need for Nigerians to travel abroad for VLOS training.He noted that the academy has trained and certified 14 drone pilots since its NCAA accreditation about three months ago. According to him, trainees undergo rigorous classroom and field practical sessions with a strong emphasis on airspace safety.
“ARCO Aviation Academy is the first certified drone training school in Nigeria. It is accredited and certified by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and is the first to have received an Approved Aviation Organisation Certification. It was established to solve the demand for remote pilot certification and to stop people from going abroad to get drone pilot certification,” he said.
He added that the institute enables Nigerians to obtain certification within the country at a lower cost while helping to generate revenue locally. Sunday urged the graduates to be good ambassadors of the academy and apply their skills and knowledge responsibly. Describing the future of drone piloting as promising, he noted that there are many opportunities in the drone industry and encouraged more people to acquire the necessary training. He also warned that operators who fail to comply with industry regulations risk having their certificates revoked by the NCAA.
Source: https://punchng.com/
