All you need to know about UAV operations in Guyana
Before you operate a UAV
01
Drone Registration
02
Drone Operations
03
Aerial Surveillance
04
Drone Safety
Applying for a Drone Permit
4 Simple Steps
Submit a formally written letter addressed to the Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority requesting permission to operate. Email your letter to dronesunit@gcaa-gy.org;
Attached the UAV Information Sheet along with a copy of your National Identification Card or the Bio Data Page of your passport (Foreign applicants) with the letter;
A Drone Security Clearance Check will be conducted for each applicant (time span of security clearance is a minimum of 29 days)
No person shall operate an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, irrespective of the dimensions or maximum weight of that aircraft, for the purposes of obtaining, recording, or transmitting information, whether in the visible spectrum or otherwise, unless that person has obtained written authorization from the Authority to obtain, record, or transmit such information.
A person wishing to use an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for any or all of the activities referenced in Paragraph (1) may submit a request in writing to the Authority, and shall include in the request –
a) the name and address of the applicant and the name of the company for whom he is working, if applicable;
b) a drawing or map reference showing the geographical area over which that person intends to operate the aircraft;
c) details of the aircraft to be used, including the make, model, serial number and dimensions of the aircraft, as well as the type of power plant installed;
d) the date and time period during which the applicant wishes to operate the aircraft;
e) the purpose for which the information collected will be used;
f) proof that the owner has liability insurance pursuant to the Civil Aviation Regulations currently in force;
g) Security clearance for the applicable operation: and
e) any other information requested by the Authority.
Nothing in this Directive shall prevent the prosecution, conviction and punishment of any person for the breach of any other written Law of Guyana for the time being in force including but not limited to…
a) Criminal Law Acts of Guyana
b) Customs Act of Guyana
c) Telecommunications Act of Guyana
Operating a Drone
No person shall operate an unmanned aerial vehicle in Guyana airspace without having first received written permission from the Civil Aviation Authority, unless such a vehicle is operating in accordance with Paragraph 13.
A person who wishes to operate an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, other than in accordance with Paragraph 13, shall apply to the Authority in writing for approval and shall provide the Authority with the details of the intended operation.
No person shall drop, cause to be dropped, or permit another person to drop any article or animal, whether or not attached to a parachute, from an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle so as to endanger persons or property.
No person shall use an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle to tow any object during flight.
The Pilot-in-Command of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle shall maintain direct, unaided visual contact with that aircraft, while it is in flight, sufficient to monitor its flight path in relation to other aircraft, persons, vehicles, vessels, and structures for the purpose of avoiding collisions, unless specific authorization to the contrary has been granted in writing by the Authority.
The Pilot in Command of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle shall not fly the aircraft:
a) within an aerodrome traffic zone unless the permission of the Authority and the permission of the applicable Air Traffic Control unit has first been obtained;
b) at a height of more than 150 metres above the terrain;
c) at a distance greater than 500 metres from the point at which he is positioned;
d) at night or in low visibility conditions;
e) over or near to private or public property without prior permission from the owner;
f) in a reckless or unsafe manner; or
g) over any establishment or zone designated in a Government notice as a prohibited area.
The Pilot in Command of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle shall not fly the aircraft for the purposes of aerial work except in accordance with a permit granted by the Authority.
An organization intending to operate an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle in aerial work, may apply to the Authority for an Aerial Work Operator Certificate and will be required to present for approval, prior to commencing operations, an operations manual, which shall contain policies and procedures for the operations for which the organization intends to use the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, and which shall contain at least the following information;
a) company organization;
b) manual distribution and revision procedures;
c) persons authorized to act on the organization's behalf;
d) staff training program;
e) area of intended operations;
f) a plan of intended activities;
g) briefing of pilots and ground crew;
h) communications procedures;
i) accident and incident notification;
j) record-keeping, including aircraft logbook;
k) a maintenance programme, based on the manufacturer's instructions for maintaining the aircraft; and
l) Emergency procedures, including but not limited to, emergency recall, loss of control datalink, or loss of visual contact.
A Pilot in Command of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle shall not operate that aircraft in any of the circumstances below without first obtaining approval from the Authority:
a) Over or within 150 metres of any congested area, or organized open-air assembly;
b) within 100 metres of any vessel, vehicle, or structure, which is not under the control of the person accountable to the Authority for the aircraft, or someone who has contracted the services of the aircraft; or
c) subject to Paragraph (11), within 50 metres of any person, either vertically or horizontally.
No person shall operate an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle as the Pilot-in-Command of that vehicle, unless that person has in his possession the necessary Permit issued by the Authority pursuant to Paragraph 14.
No person shall, during take-off or landing, operate an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle within 30 metres of any person, other than the Pilot or another person assisting in the operation and under the supervision of the pilot.
No person shall operate an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for commercial operations unless the operator has presented to the Authority proof of possession of the necessary Liability Insurance.
A person operating an unmanned aerial vehicle, weighing seven (7) kg or less, which is not being used for aerial work or any other commercial activity, and is not carrying any equipment capable of transmitting or receiving any information other than that required to control the vehicle in flight:
a) Shall not be required to obtain a permit to operate the vehicle, but shall comply with all other restrictions and limitations of these Regulations; and
b) Shall not operate the vehicle beyond visual range of the operator.
A person wishing to operate as the Pilot-in-Command of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, as referred to in Paragraph (1), shall apply to the Authority for a permit to do so and the Authority may grant such a permit after –
a) The person has provided the Authority with a certificate issued by an approved person or organization confirming that the person has been trained, tested, and found to be competent to operate as the pilot of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle; or
b) has demonstrated to the Authority that he is competent to operate the aircraft safely by carrying out such maneuvers while in control of the aircraft as the Authority may require.
The Authority may accept a certificate of training from another ICAO member state that has an acceptable framework of Regulations governing UAV operations and the training of pilot operators within their airspace.
Non-conformity with the conditions of a Permit, operations outside of the limitations specified in this Directive, or failure to comply with the conditions approved in an operations manual, shall lead to the suspension of the Permit and will be considered a breach of the Guyana Civil Aviation Regulations.
