97 Caribbean Netherlands (Netherlands)

Flag courtesy of Wikipedia

Location of the Caribbean Netherlands (green and circled). From left to right: Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius

Map courtesy of Wikipedia

Google Earth

Map showing Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Google Earth

Last updated on November 23, 2023

Government

According to The Kingdom of the Netherlands, the islands of Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba are jointly referred to as the Caribbean Netherlands, or the BES islands. They are part of the Netherlands, which is one of four countries in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The islands are special municipalities of the Netherlands. Unlike normal municipalities, the islands are not part of a Dutch province. This means the island authorities of Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba carry out some of the tasks that are normally performed by provincial authorities.

The National Office for the Caribbean Netherlands carries out national tasks on the three islands.

Civil / National Aviation Authority (CAA/NAA)

none found

Airspace

SkyVector – Google Maps – ADS-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.

Dutch Caribbean ANSP

Airspace Classification

Airspace Classification

Airspace Classification

Drone Regulations

Dutch Caribbean Legal Portal – Strict rules emplaced for operating drones on Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba

Strict rules emplaced for operating drones on Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba

BES ISLANDS – Drone owners on Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba are reminded to adhere to the rules when operating drones on these islands.
Violating these rules, a drone pilot risk being fined, confiscation of the drone or jail time.
This reminder comes after a recent verdict on Bonaire, where a drone pilot received a conditional sentence with 1-year probation for illegally flying the drone over the prison on Bonaire.
Operating drones as a hobby is increasing in popularity, therefore the Public Prosecutor’s Office would like to outline the rules for this practice.
• The drone should not be heavier than 25 kilos.
• The drone is prohibited from being flown more than 120 meters above the ground or sea.
• The drone is prohibited from being flown above a crowd of people and over ongoing construction.
• The drone should not be flown in the dark.
• While in flight the drone must remain visible at all times.
• The drone is prohibited from being flown in the vicinity of the air traffic control tower of a public or military airport.
• When operating the drone always give priority to planes and helicopters.
• It is allowed to take photos and video recordings with the drone, provided the privacy law is respected.
In the event that a bystander is injured by a drone in flight, the victim can hold the drone operator liable. The payments in damages can be very high and not every third-party insurance covers damage caused by the drone. Therefore drone operators are advised to be vigilant.
Furthermore a permit is required when drones are being used for business purposes and different rules apply.

Advanced Air Mobility (AAM)

 

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 in the Caribbean Netherlands.

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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