This archive report was first published on 18 June 2020.
On June 18, 2020, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) announced a significant reduction in importation charges for drones in Kenya. The new proposals suggest an import permit of only KSh3,000, a drastic decrease from the earlier proposed KSh20,000.
The reduction in charges comes after Parliament rejected the Authority's earlier proposals. The KCAA has already started accepting applications for those who want permits and registration of drones. According to KCAA Director General, Gilbert Kibe, the exercise will be based on the drone category to avoid congestion in the skies.
Interested parties can apply to categories including recreation, filming, media, and photography. However, the proposals and importation charges for drones are still subject to approval by the Transport secretary.
Kenya legalized drone operations in April this year, allowing for the manufacturing, assembly, modification, testing, and sale of drones in Kenya, subject to approval by the KCAA under the Civil Aviation (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) Regulations, 2019.
Before the legalization, hundreds of drones were confiscated at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) due to the lack of a legal framework on drones in the country. However, the KCAA now plans to release these drones to their owners once everything has been finalized.
East Africa is projected to generate revenues well over $150 million in the next 2-3 years from drone operations.
