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- May 11, 2013
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Kenyans are rushing to enroll into drone academies as they seek to equip themselves with drone piloting skills so as to obtain operating licences.
Many of the Kenyans enrolling into the academies want to learn as well as obtain about licences that will allow them operate commercially.
Drones can be used commercially for capturing footage of homes, buildings, and terrains.
Realtors, security firm, architects, advertising firms, construction firms and developers are some of the clients who often to hire the services of drone pilots in order to capture aerial video and photographs.
Drones can be used commercially for capturing footage of homes, buildings, and terrains.
Speaking to Reuters, Eric Mwambaji, a graduate from Dronespace academy said he was looking forward to using the knowledge he had acquired on different projects.
“I am looking at the potential of doing mapping, surveying, inspections and so on with the opportunities Dronespace is offering, there could be an opportunity to teach others how to do this,” Mwambaji said.
Commercial drone pilots are mainly hired on freelance basis by companies to execute different projects. Some companies need pilots for aerial surveillance while others need them for aerial videos.
Projections from the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International indicate that 100,000 new jobs will be created in unmanned aircraft by 2025.
According to MarketWatch, a website that provides financial information, the annual salary of a drone pilot in is Ksh21 million. This salary, however, defers from country to country depending on the economic situation of the country.
Dronespace founder, Tony Mwangi, went to South Africa to train and obtain a drone pilot instructor licence before he set up his academy in December 2020.
A two-week course at the academy costs Ksh174,000. The price is inclusive of a remote pilot’s licence which is issued by the government regulator after the course.
“For most drone pilots, I advise the unlicensed ones to get licences because it helps with the law. You learn about the regulations, where to fly and where not to fly. Safety comes first for the pilot and also for the people around the pilot,” an instructor at Dronespace said.
Even though the drone industry is steadily growing, there are numerous regulations and restrictions that have barred some Kenyans from joining the industry.
In 2020, the Civil Aviation (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) Regulation,2019 Act was approved. Under the new rules, one has to pay Ksh3,000 in order to import a drone into Kenya.
A Remote Operators Certificate which is issued at Ksh80,000 every year and renewed at Ksh50,000 is also needed in order to operate a drone in the Kenyan Airspace.
The charges have, however, dwindled the hopes of some Kenyans who want to join the lucrative field.
A two-week drone pilot course at the Dronespace academy costs Ksh174,000.
Source: kenyans.co.ke
Many of the Kenyans enrolling into the academies want to learn as well as obtain about licences that will allow them operate commercially.
Drones can be used commercially for capturing footage of homes, buildings, and terrains.
Realtors, security firm, architects, advertising firms, construction firms and developers are some of the clients who often to hire the services of drone pilots in order to capture aerial video and photographs.
Drones can be used commercially for capturing footage of homes, buildings, and terrains.
Speaking to Reuters, Eric Mwambaji, a graduate from Dronespace academy said he was looking forward to using the knowledge he had acquired on different projects.
“I am looking at the potential of doing mapping, surveying, inspections and so on with the opportunities Dronespace is offering, there could be an opportunity to teach others how to do this,” Mwambaji said.
Commercial drone pilots are mainly hired on freelance basis by companies to execute different projects. Some companies need pilots for aerial surveillance while others need them for aerial videos.
Projections from the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International indicate that 100,000 new jobs will be created in unmanned aircraft by 2025.
According to MarketWatch, a website that provides financial information, the annual salary of a drone pilot in is Ksh21 million. This salary, however, defers from country to country depending on the economic situation of the country.
Dronespace founder, Tony Mwangi, went to South Africa to train and obtain a drone pilot instructor licence before he set up his academy in December 2020.
A two-week course at the academy costs Ksh174,000. The price is inclusive of a remote pilot’s licence which is issued by the government regulator after the course.
“For most drone pilots, I advise the unlicensed ones to get licences because it helps with the law. You learn about the regulations, where to fly and where not to fly. Safety comes first for the pilot and also for the people around the pilot,” an instructor at Dronespace said.
Even though the drone industry is steadily growing, there are numerous regulations and restrictions that have barred some Kenyans from joining the industry.
In 2020, the Civil Aviation (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) Regulation,2019 Act was approved. Under the new rules, one has to pay Ksh3,000 in order to import a drone into Kenya.
A Remote Operators Certificate which is issued at Ksh80,000 every year and renewed at Ksh50,000 is also needed in order to operate a drone in the Kenyan Airspace.
The charges have, however, dwindled the hopes of some Kenyans who want to join the lucrative field.
A two-week drone pilot course at the Dronespace academy costs Ksh174,000.
Source: kenyans.co.ke
