117 British Virgin Islands (UK)

Blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag. The coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful). The islands were named by COLUMBUS in 1493 in honor of Saint Ursula and her 11 virgin followers (some sources say 11,000) who reputedly were martyred by the Huns in the 4th or 5th century. The figure on the banner holding a lamp represents the saint. The other lamps symbolize her followers.

Flag courtesy of the CIA World Factbook

Map courtesy of the CIA World Factbook

Google Earth

The former Legislative Council Building in Road Town is today used as the House of Assembly and the High Court.

Photo courtesy of the CIA World Factbook

Last updated on August 18, 2024

Government

According to Britannica, the British Virgin Islands are a British overseas territory. The country is administered under a constitution that came into effect in 2007 and provided greater internal self-government. The chief executive officer is the governor, who is appointed by the British monarch. The premier is a member of the House of Assembly (formerly the Legislative Council) who is elected by the body’s majority party and then appointed by the governor. The premier presides over a cabinet comprising four other ministers and the ex offico attorney general. The House of Assembly consists of 13 members elected by universal adult suffrage; a speaker, who is elected from outside the council by its members; and the attorney general.

Civil / National Aviation Authority (CAA/NAA)

The Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) is an eleven-member grouping of islands spread across the Eastern Caribbean. Together, they form a near-continuous archipelago across the eastern reaches of the Caribbean Sea. They comprise the Leeward Islands: Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands; and the Windward Islands: Dominica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada, Martinique and Guadeloupe.

The Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority (ECCAA) evolved from the Directorate of Civil Aviation – Eastern Caribbean States, which may be considered as one of the oldest, if not the oldest institutions in the Eastern Caribbean region. From inception, the Directorate was seen as a vehicle for facilitating a collective and uniform approach to Civil Aviation matters affecting the then Windward and Leeward Islands, which now comprise the OECS Group.

Airspace

SkyVectorGoogle MapsADS-B Exchange

ICAO countries publish an Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP). This document is divided into three parts: General (GEN), En Route (ENR) and Aerodromes (AD). ENR 1.4 details the types of airspace classes they chose to adopt from classes A through G. BVI AIP – fee required

Drone Regulations

Drone Users Are Subject To Aviation Rules – Government of the British Virgin Islands

Users of small unmanned aircraft, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or drones are advised that they are subject to aviation rules as outlined in the Air Navigational Overseas Territories Order 2013 (ANOTO) Article 73.  The ANOTO governs the United Kingdom (UK) Overseas Territories and is regulated by the Governor via Air Safety Support International (ASSI).

Operators of drones are asked to avoid:

  1. Operating within an aerodrome traffic zone, without prior approval from the regulator and BVIAA.
  2. Flying at a height of more than 400 feet above the surface unless it is flying in airspace described in article 73 (4) sub-paragraph (a) or (b) in the ANOTO 2013.
  3. Flying over or within 150 meters of an organized open-air assembly of more than 1,000 persons;
  4. Flying within 50 meters of any vessel, vehicle or structure which is not under the control of the person in charge of the aircraft;
  5. Flying the aircraft for the purposes of aerial work except in accordance with a permission granted by the Governor.

For more information on the operation of unmanned aircraft in the Territory please contact the BVI Airport Authority at 394-8000 or visit www.airsafety.aero/sua.

ASSI

Legal requirements for the operation of small unmanned aircraft in the UK Overseas Territories

The requirements for the use of Small Unmanned Aircraft (SUA) in the UK Overseas Territories are laid down in the Air Navigation (Overseas Territories) Order. The main rules for their use are laid down in Article 73, however, Article 191 highlights the other articles that also apply to the use of small unmanned aircraft.

The following ASSI SUA Information Leaflets give details of the legal requirements for the use of SUAs, as well as guidance on various activities using SUAs.

ASSI SUA Information Leaflet No 1: Legal Requirements for SUAs (Issue 1, dated August 2022)

ASSI SUA Information Leaflet No 2: Operational Guidance for SUAs (Issue 1, dated August 2022)

ASSI SUA Information Leaflet No 3: Definitions and Glossary for SUAs (Issue 1, dated August 2022)

Drone Safety Leaflet

Please note that there may be additional airspace restrictions on flying SUAs in some Territories.

Montserrat: Direction prohibiting the use of all SUAs within the vicinity of John A Osborne International Airport (dated November 2019).

St Helena: Direction prohibiting and restricting the use of all SUAs within the vicinity of St Helena Airport (dated November 2019).

Ascension Island: Direction prohibiting the use of all SUAs within the vicinity of Wideawake Airfield (dated June 2016).

If you have a query with regard to operating a small unmanned aircraft in the UK Overseas Territories, please contact the appropriate authority.

Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, St Helena (including Ascension and Tristan da Cunha), South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Air Safety Support International
Floor 2, The Portland Building
25 High Street
Crawley
West Sussex
RH10 1BG
United Kingdom

Telephone: +44 (0)1293 214040
Fax: +44 (0)1293 214069
Email: enquiries@airsafety.aero

If you wish to operate in the UK Overseas Territories of Anguilla, BVI, Montserrat, St Helena (including Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha) and South Georgia or the South Sandwich Islands you should apply to ASSI using the following application form:

Download the application form for the operation of a Small Unmanned Aircraft (SUA) in the UK Overseas Territories Airspace.

 

Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Regulations & Policies

None found by the author.

However, should you, the reader, happen to stumble across something to the contrary, please email the author at FISHE5CA@erau.edu and you may be mentioned in the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS section of this book by way of thanks for contributing to this free eBook!

 

Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) News

None found by the author.

However, should you, the reader, happen to stumble across something to the contrary, please email the author at FISHE5CA@erau.edu and you may be mentioned in the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS section of this book by way of thanks for contributing to this free eBook!

 

Short Essay Questions

Question 1

You have been hired by a Drone Startup Company. Your boss has immediately assigned this job to you.

They need you to prepare a one-page memo detailing the legalities of using a drone to film the High Court building, pictured above.

They need you to mention any national laws and local ordinances.

They specifically want to know what airspace you will be operating in and whether or not you need an airspace authorization.

Does it matter whether or not you are a citizen of the country?

Lastly, there is a bonus for you if, as you scroll through this chapter, you find any typos or broken links!

Question 2

Do you need a certificate to fly UAS?

If so, how do you obtain one?

Are there fees associated with this?

If so, how much?

Question 3

May you operate beyond visual line of sight?

If so, what procedures must you follow?

Question 4

Does the country have UAM/AAM laws? If so, describe, citing the exact law.

Question 5

Are you aware of any new laws or policies not mentioned above? If so, describe, citing the exact law or policy.

 

 

 

License

Icon for the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License

Drones Across the World Copyright © 2023 by Sarah Nilsson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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