EAC to Hold Regional Conference on Drone Operations, Regulations
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Parent Category: Issue
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in Issue 2/17
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By EADM Correspondent and CIO Staff Writer
In Summary: The East African Community (EAC) member countries are starting to catch-up with the new unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) technologies (drones and robotics). One of the initial steps in harnessing this new UAVs technology is the impending conference in Nairobi next week to discuss the operations and regulatory framework of these unmanned Ariel Vehicles (UAVs). Civil aviation authorities of Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda are starting to take huge steps towards releasing drone regulations in East Africa. The 2-day conference will provide updates on these regulations, identify innovations in drone’s technologies and provide an in-depth understanding of the various applications of these machines in order to help company’s kick-start their drone operations.
Nairobi, Kenya—the much-awaited conference on Drone operations for the East African region has been set to take place between June 20 and 21, 2017 in Nairobi, Kenya, a statement from the official Web site coordinating the conference said last week. Officially supported by the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA), the Drone-regulatory conference for the East African Community (EAC) member countries will highlight the applications of drones and the regulations governing the use of this technology across various sectors such as construction, transportation, mining, agriculture, energy and emergency services.
“Given the potential of an unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), civil aviation authorities of Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda, have been taking huge steps towards releasing drone regulations in East Africa,” a press statement on the official website said. “This 2-day event was developed to provide updates on these regulations, identify innovations in drone’s technologies and provide an in-depth understanding of the various applications of these machines in order to help company’s kick-start their drone operations,” the statement added. “No matter what role you play in the drone industry, this event is a one stop shop for you to gain insights on this innovative technology and how it will be shaping the future. This conference will bring together some of the key stakeholders in the drones industry to discuss the upcoming opportunities for this technology in the region,” the official statement continued.
Some of the high-profile speakers at the regional event include Robert Mwesigwa Nviiri, Executive Director of Social Security, Civil Aviation Safety and Security Oversight Agency; Maria Stefanopoulos, Production Manager, ABC News; and Patrick Sherman, Founder, Roswell Flight Test Crew. Others are Claver Bazatoha, Director of Flight Safety Standards, Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority; Redemptus P. Bugomola, Director Safety Regulation, Tanzania Civil Aviation Authority; Dieudonné Harahagazwe, Senior Scientist, International Potato Center (CIP); Richard Ruhesi, Director of Air Navigation, Uganda Civil Aviation Authority;
Bernard Justus Muhwezi, Manager, Geo-Information Services, Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS); Adam, Co-Founder, WeRobotics; Walter Okol, Marketing Manager, Equator Seeds Limited; and Arnold Bett, Electronics Engineer – Senior Technologist, University of Nairobi.