Four equal horizontal bands of red (top), blue, yellow, and green. Red represents self-determination and independence, blue the Indian Ocean surrounding the island, yellow has been interpreted as the new light of independence, golden sunshine, or the bright future, and green can symbolize either agriculture or the lush vegetation of the island.

Flag courtesy of the CIA World Factbook

Map courtesy of the CIA World Factbook

Google Earth

A panoramic view of Mauritius Island

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Government

According to Britannica, Mauritius became independent on March 12, 1968. Under the constitution adopted that year, the country was a constitutional monarchy with the British monarch as head of state. In 1991 a constitutional amendment was passed providing for a republican form of government, with a president as head of state; the amendment went into effect in 1992. Legislative power is vested in a National Assembly, elected every five years and consisting of 62 elected members and up to an additional 8 members drawn from the pool of candidates who were not elected but who may be appointed to broaden representation among minorities or underrepresented parties. Executive power is exercised by a Council of Ministers headed by a prime minister (appointed by the president), who assembles a government from members of the National Assembly. The president and vice president are elected by the National Assembly for a term of five years.

For administrative purposes, the island of Mauritius is divided into districts. The outlying territories of Agalega, Cargados Carajos Shoals, and Rodrigues Island each have dependency status.

The Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority and includes courts of civil appeal and criminal appeal. There are also district courts.

Civil / National Aviation Authority (CAA/NAA)

The Mauritius Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) has the following functions:

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. Mauritius AIP

Drone Regulations

Drone Laws

​​​Mauritius Civil Aviation regulations (Amendment 2016)

Government-Notice No. 139 of 2016

Legal Supplement to the Government Gazette of Mauritius No. 57 of I July 2016

Regulations made by the Minister under section 11 of · the Civil A viation Act 1273

1. These regulations may be cited as the Civil Aviation (Amendment) Regulations 2016.

2. In these regulations – “principal regulations” means the Civil Aviation Regulations 2007.

3. Regulation 2 of the principal regulations is amended by inserting, in the appropriate alphabetical order, the following new definitions –

“remotely piloted aircraft” means a remotely piloted aerial vehicle without persons on board;

“remotely piloted surveillance aircraft” means a remotely piloted aircraft which is equipped to undertake any form of surveillance or data acquisition; ‘

4. Regulation 91 of the principal regulations· is revoked and replaced by the following regulation –

91. Remotely piloted aircraft

(1) No person shall cause or permit any article or animal, whether or not that article or animal is attached to a parachute, to be dropped from a remotely piloted aircraft.

(2) No person in charge of a remotely piloted aircraft shall fly the aircraft unless he is reasonably satisfied that the flight may safely be made.

(3) A person in charge of a remotely piloted aircraft shall, for the purpose of avoiding collisions, maintain direct and unaided visual contact with the aircraft sufficient to monitor its flight path in relation to other aircraft, persons, vehicles, vessels ·and structures.

(4) No person in charge of a remotely piloted aircraft shall fly the aircraft –

(a) in Class A airspace, Class C airspace, Class D airspace or Class E airspace without the permission of the Authority;

(b) within an aerodrome traffic zone during the notified hours of watch of the air traffic control unit at that aerodrome unless permission of the air traffic control unit is obtained; or

(c) at a height of more than 400 feet above the surface unless it is flying in airspace specified in subparagraph (a) or (b) and in accordance with the requirements for that airspace.

(5) Where a person intends to fly a remotely piloted aircraft-

(a) in an airspace referred to in paragraph (4)(a), he shall make an application seeking the permission of the Authority in such manner as the Authority may determine;

(b) in a zone and during the time ref erred to in paragraph (4)(b), he shall make an application to the air traffic control unit in such manner as the air traffic control unit may determine.

(6) (a) Where the applicant meets the conditions set out in the civil airworthiness requirements specified in regulation 135 for flying a remotely piloted aircraft in the airspace referred to in paragraph (5)(a), the Authority shall, on payment of the appropriate fee specified in the Sixteenth Schedule, grant permission to the applicant.

(b) Where the air traffic control unit considers that the applicant may fly a remotely piloted aircraft in a zone and during the time referred to in paragraph (5)(b) without threat to flight safety, the air traffic control unit shall, on payment of the appropriate fee specified in the Sixteenth Schedule, grant permission to the applicant.

5. The principal regulations are amended by inserting, after regulation 91, the following new regulations –

91A. Remotely piloted surveillance aircraft

(1) No person in charge of a remotely piloted surveillance aircraft shall, except with the permission of the Authority, fly the aircraft –

(a) over a congested area or within 150 meters of that area;

(b) over an organized open-air assembly of more than 500 persons or within 150 meters of that assembly;

(c) within 50 meters of any vessel, vehicle or structure which is not under the control of the person in charge of the aircraft; or

(d) subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), within 50 meters of any person.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3), no remotely piloted surveillance aircraft shall be flown within 30 meters of a person during take-off or landing.

(3) Paragraphs (l)(d) and (2) shall not apply to a person in charge of a remotely piloted surveillance aircraft or a person under the control of the person in charge of the aircraft.

(4) Nothing in this regulation shall be construed as a derogation to the Data Protection Act.

(5) This regulation shall be in addition to, and not in derogation from, regulation 91.

(6) Where a person intends to fly ·a remotely piloted surveillance aircraft in an area referred to. in paragraph (1), he shall make an application seeking the permission of the Authority in such manner as the Authority may determine.

(7) Where the applicant meets the conditions set out in the civil airworthiness requirements specified in regulation 135 for flying a remotely piloted surveillance aircraft in the area referred to in paragraph (1), the Authority shall, on payment of the appropriate fee specified in the Sixteenth Schedule, grant permission to the applicant.

91B. Remotely piloted aircraft or remotely piloted surveillance aircraft used for aerial work

(1) No person in charge of a remotely piloted aircraft or a remotely piloted surveillance aircraft shall use the aircraft for the purpose of aerial work except in accordance with a permission granted by the Authority.

(2) Where a person intends to use a remotely piloted aircraft or remotely piloted surveillance aircraft for the purpose of aerial work, he shall make an application seeking the permission of the Authority in such manner as the Authority may determine.

(3) Where the applicant meets the conditions set out in the civil airworthiness requirements specified in regulation 135 for using a remotely piloted aircraft or remotely piloted surveillance aircraft for the purpose of aerial work, the Authority shall, on payment of the appropriate fee specified in the Sixteenth Schedule, grant permission to the applicant.

91C. Remotely piloted aircraft or remotely piloted surveillance aircraft used for leisure or recreational purposes

(1) Regulations 91 and 91A shall not apply to a remotely piloted aircraft or a remotely piloted surveillance aircraft weighing not more than 7 kilograms, which is flown strictly for leisure or recreational purposes, provided that the aircraft is not flown-

(a) in Class A airspace, Class C airspace, Class D airspace or Class E airspace without the permission of the Authority; ·

(b) within an aerodrome traffic zone during the notified hours of watch of the air traffic control unit at that aerodrome unless permission of the air traffic control unit is obtained;

(c) at a height exceeding 400 feet above the surface unless it is flying in airspace specified in subparagraph (a) or (b) and in accordance with the requirements for that airspace;

(d) over the property of any person unless the permission of that person has been obtained;

(e) over any area to which the public has access; or

(f) at night.

(2) No person shall fly, for leisure or recreational purposes, a remotely piloted aircraft or a remotely piloted surveillance aircraft which weighs more than 7 kilograms but less than 20 kilograms without its fuel, but including any article or equipment installed in or attached to the aircraft at the commencement of its flight.

(3) Where a person intends to fly, for leisure or recreational purposes, a remotely piloted aircraft or a remotely piloted surveillance aircraft in an airspace specified in paragraph 1(a) or in a zone and at a time specified in paragraph 1(b), he shall make an application seeking the permission of the Authority in such manner as the Authority may determine.

(4) Where the applicant meets the conditions set oµt in the civil airworthiness requirements specified in regulation 135 for flying a remotely piloted aircraft or a remotely piloted surveillance aircraft weighing not more than 7 kilograms for leisure or recreational purposes, the Authority shall, on payment of.the appropriate fee specified in the Sixteenth Schedule, grant permission to the applicant.

6. The Sixteenth Schedule to the principal regulations is amended –

(a) in the heading, by inserting, after the figure “90”, the words  91, 91A , 91B, 91C

(b) by inserting, after item 35, the following new items and their corresponding entries –

7. These regulations shall come into operation on 1 July 2016. Made by the Minister on 21 June 2016.

Mauritius Civil Airworthiness Requirement Chapter 24

​Mauritius Civil Airworthiness Requirements – Drone

1. INTRODUCTION

The Regulations related to all flying operations within Mauritius airspace are contained within the Civil Aviation Regulations 2007 as amended and the Civil Air Navigation Requirements as published by the Authority.

The overriding and all-encompassing Regulation within the legislation is Regulation 70, which covers the subject of endangerment and applies to all aviation activity in Mauritius at all times:

Regulation 70 Endangering safety of any person or property;

No person shall cause or permit an aircraft to endanger any person or property.

With regard to the operation of remotely piloted aircraft at the smaller end of the market, it is the aircraft’s mass which is the deciding factor with regard to the permissions/approvals that are required, and in Mauritius 20kg is the significant number.

If the mass is above 20kg then there are a number of significant hurdles to jump (particularly with regard to airworthiness) but if it is 20kg or less then it is classed as a ‘ remotely piloted aircraft ‘, for which the requirements are a little less stringent and are covered within Regulations 91, 91A, 91B and 91C of the Civil Aviation Regulations and reproduced below.

Regulation 91 Remotely piloted aircraft

(1) No person shall cause or permit any article or animal, whether or not that article or animal is attached to a parachute, to be dropped from a remotely piloted aircraft.

(2) No person in charge of a remotely piloted aircraft shall fly the aircraft unless he is reasonably satisfied that the flight may safely be made.

(3) A person in charge of a remotely piloted aircraft shall, for the purpose of avoiding collisions, maintain direct and unaided visual contact with the aircraft sufficient to monitor its flight path in relation to other aircraft, persons, vehicles, vessels and structures.

(4) No person in charge of a remotely piloted aircraft shall fly the aircraft –

(a) in Class A airspace, Class C airspace, Class D airspace or Class E airspace without the permission of the Authority;

(b) within an aerodrome traffic zone during the notified hours of watch of the air traffic control unit at that aerodrome unless permission of the air traffic control unit is obtained; or

(c) at a height of more than 400 feet above the surface unless it is flying in airspace specified in subparagraph (a) or (b) and in accordance with the requirements for that airspace.

(5) Where a person intends to fly a remotely piloted aircraft –

(a) in an airspace referred to in paragraph (4)(a), he shall make an application seeking the permission of the Authority in such manner as the Authority may determine;

(b) in a zone and during the time referred to in paragraph (4) (b), he shall make an application to the air traffic control unit in such manner as the air traffic control unit may determine.

(6) (a) Where the applicant meets the conditions set out in the civil airworthiness requirements specified in regulation 135 for flying a remotely piloted aircraft in the airspace referred to in paragraph (5)(a), the Authority shall, on payment of the appropriate fee specified in the Sixteenth Schedule, grant permission to the applicant.

(b) Where the air traffic control unit considers that the applicant may fly a remotely piloted aircraft in a zone and during the time referred to in paragraph (5)(b) without threat to flight safety, the air traffic control unit shall, on payment of the appropriate fee specified in the Sixteenth Schedule, grant permission to the applicant.

Regulation 91A Remotely piloted surveillance aircraft

(1) No person in charge of a remotely piloted surveillance aircraft shall, except with the permission of the Authority, fly the aircraft –

(a) over a congested area or within 150 meters of that area;

(b) over an organized open-air assembly of more than 500 persons or within 150 meters of that assembly;

(c) within 50 meters of any vessel, vehicle or structure which is not under the control of the person in charge of the aircraft; or

(d) subject to paragraphs (2) and (3), within 50 meters of any person.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3), no remotely piloted surveillance aircraft shall be flown within 30 meters of a person during take-off or landing.

(3) Paragraphs (1) (d) and (2) shall not apply to a person in charge of a remotely piloted surveillance aircraft or a person under the control of the person in charge of the aircraft.

(4) Nothing in this regulation shall be construed as a derogation to the Data Protection Act.

(5) This regulation shall be in addition to, and not in derogation from, regulation 91.

(6) Where a person intends to fly a remotely piloted surveillance aircraft in an area referred to in paragraph (1), he shall make an application seeking the permission of the Authority in such manner as the Authority may determine.

(7) Where the applicant meets the conditions set out in the civil airworthiness requirements specified in regulation 135 for flying a remotely piloted surveillance aircraft in the area referred to in paragraph (1), the Authority shall, on payment of the appropriate fee specified in the Sixteenth Schedule, grant permission to the applicant.

Regulation 91B Remotely piloted aircraft or remotely piloted surveillance aircraft used for aerial work

(1) No person in charge of a remotely piloted aircraft or a remotely piloted surveillance aircraft shall use the aircraft for the purpose of aerial work except in accordance with a permission granted by the Authority.

(2) Where a person intends to use a remotely piloted aircraft or remotely piloted surveillance aircraft for the purpose of aerial work, he shall make an application seeking the permission of the Authority in such manner as the Authority may determine.

(3) Where the applicant meets the conditions set out in the civil airworthiness requirements specified in regulation 135 for using a remotely piloted aircraft or remotely piloted surveillance aircraft for the purpose of aerial work, the Authority shall, on payment of the appropriate fee specified in the Sixteenth Schedule, grant permission to the applicant. 4

Regulation 91C. Remotely piloted aircraft or remotely piloted surveillance aircraft used for leisure or recreational purposes

(1) Regulations 91 and 91A shall not apply to a remotely piloted aircraft or a remotely piloted surveillance aircraft weighing not more than 7 kilograms, which is flown strictly for leisure or recreational purposes, provided that the aircraft is not flown –

(a) in Class A airspace, Class C airspace, Class D airspace or Class E airspace without the permission of the Authority;

(b) within an aerodrome traffic zone during the notified hours of watch of the air traffic control unit at that aerodrome unless permission of the air traffic control unit is obtained;

(c) at a height exceeding 400 feet above the surface unless it is flying in airspace specified in subparagraph (a) or (b) and in accordance with the requirements for that airspace;

(d) over the property of any person unless the permission of that person has been obtained;

(e) over any area to which the public has access; or

(f) at night.

(2) No person shall fly, for leisure or recreational purposes, a remotely piloted aircraft or a remotely piloted surveillance aircraft which weighs more than 7 kilograms but less than 20 kilograms without its fuel, but including any article or equipment installed in or attached to the aircraft at the commencement of its flight.

(3) Where a person intends to fly, for leisure or recreational purposes, a remotely piloted aircraft or a remotely piloted surveillance aircraft in an airspace specified in paragraph 1(a) or in a zone and at a time specified in paragraph 1(b), he shall make an application seeking the permission of the Authority in such manner as the Authority may determine.

(4) Where the applicant meets the conditions set out in the civil airworthiness requirements specified in regulation 135 for flying a remotely piloted aircraft or a remotely piloted surveillance aircraft weighing not more than 7 kilograms for leisure or recreational purposes, the Authority shall, on payment of the appropriate fee specified in the Sixteenth Schedule, grant permission to the applicant.

2. For the purpose of the above quoted regulations “remotely piloted aircraft” means a remotely piloted aerial vehicle without persons on board; “remotely piloted surveillance aircraft” means a remotely piloted aircraft which is equipped to undertake any form of surveillance or data acquisition; It should also be noted that for electrically propelled vehicles, the battery itself is considered to be a part of the aircraft – it is the battery’s charge that is the fuel. The logic for this is that the battery is basically the ‘fuel tank’ or, in other words, when the battery has run out of fuel, it still weighs the same.

Additional requirements

(a) The person in charge of the aircraft must maintain direct unaided visual contact with the aircraft sufficient to monitor its flight path in relation to other aircraft, persons, vehicles, vessels and structures for the purpose of avoiding collisions

(b) For an aircraft being controlled in this manner (which is termed ‘Line of Sight’) the unmanned aircraft should be kept within a distance of 500m horizontally and 400ft vertically of the ‘pilot’.

(c) The flight should not be conducted within a specified distance, normally 150 meters, of any congested area of a city, town or settlement

(d) The aircraft should not be flown within a specified distance, normally 50 meters, of any person, vessel, vehicle or structure not under the control of the aircraft operator except that during the take-off or landing an aircraft to which this sub-paragraph applies shall not fly within 30 meters of any person other than the person in charge of the said aircraft or a person in charge of any other small aircraft or a person necessarily present in connection with the operation of such an aircraft.

In essence therefore, provided the aircraft has a mass of 20kg or less, the current regulations state,

1 The operation must not endanger anyone or anything

2 If the flight is to be conducted within ‘Controlled’ Airspace, 15 from the radius of the airfield permission to fly must be obtained from the ATC unit/authority and the flight must be operated in accordance with that permission and any additional restrictions required by ATC. Obviously 6 therefore, there is an inference that the ‘pilot’ needs to have a degree of awareness about the airspace that he/she wishes to fly in.

3 The aircraft must be kept within the line of sight (500m horizontal, 400ft vertical) of its pilot’. Operations beyond these distances must be approved by the Authority (the basic premise being for the operator to prove that he/she can do this safely).

4 Remotely piloted aircraft (irrespective of their mass) that are being used for surveillance purposes are subject to tighter restrictions, which invariably will require permission from the Authority before operations are commenced

5 The Authority permission is also required for all flights that are being conducted for aerial work (i.e. you are getting paid for doing it)

6 The ‘pilot’ has the responsibility for satisfying himself that the flight can be conducted safely

3.0 Approvals, Permissions and Exemptions

The Authority may issue an exemption or permission for remotely piloted aircraft to operate if the applicability criteria detailed in Table 1 below are met and the Authority is satisfied that the remotely piloted aircraft will be operated within the constraints stipulated. If a remotely piloted aircraft is intended for operation outside these constraints, the applicant should submit a safety case and discuss these issues directly with the Authority.

NOTES: 1 Applicable for aircraft used for Aerial Work purposes or if flown within a congested area or close to people or property.

Table 1 Pre-requisites for Operating a remotely piloted aircraft

NOTE: An acceptable Detect and Avoid system is not considered a risk mitigation factor, but a pre-requisite for Case 1 operations. Consequently, all civil remotely piloted aircraft operations without an acceptable Detect and Avoid system, including those undertaken for the development of remotely piloted aircraft , are by definition Case 0 operations.

Table 2 Table of Risk Mitigating Factors in remotely piloted aircraft Operations

3.1 Maximum Operating Mass

The certification basis of any aircraft has some bearing on the flight crew qualification requirements for that aircraft, and remotely piloted aircraft are no exception. remotely piloted aircraft are certificated in four categories relating to aircraft mass, and the flight crew qualification requirements are related to 8 these. Table 3 states the anticipated qualification level requirement for pilots of remotely piloted aircraft in the relevant mass category.

Table 3 – remotely piloted aircraft Mass-Related Licensing Requirements

NOTE: The DCA has accepted the Basic National UAS Certificate (BNUC™) and the BNUC-S™ (for Small remotely piloted aircraft) which, although not a license, demonstrates pilot competency in the absence of any world-wide standard being available. It is a type-specific certificate for VLOS operations, which takes into account the operating modes and procedures of the remotely piloted aircraft. Any Certificate meeting the requirements of a BNUC, issued by any approved organization which enables the holder to fly the remotely piloted aircraft will be validated by DCA.

3.2 The following permissions and exemptions are required prior to operation:

(a) Operators who intend to conduct aerial work using remotely piloted aircraft are required to apply for permission from the Authority in accordance with Regulation 91 of the Civil Aviation Regulations.

(b) Operators of remotely piloted aircraft over 20 kg are required to apply for an exemption from the Authority. Any aerial work aspects will also be covered within this exemption.

(c) Operators who intend to fly a remotely piloted aircraft within the separation criteria of Regulation 91 (2) are required to apply for a permission from the Authority and should submit a safety case including a risk assessment of the operation.

3.3 Applications should be supported by the submission of an operations manual based on the guidance contained within Annex 1 to this Chapter.

3.4 The provision of images or other data solely for the use of controlling or monitoring the aircraft is not considered to be applicable to the meaning of ‘Surveillance or Data Acquisition’ covered at Regulation 91A of the Civil Aviation Regulations for remotely piloted aircraft.

4 Meaning of Aerial Work

4.1 ‘Meaning of Aerial Work’ details that a flight is for the purpose of aerial work if valuable consideration is given or promised in respect of the flight or the purpose of the flight.

4.2 The requirement should be carefully consulted to determine if indeed any flight will be considered as aerial work.

4.3 Flying operations such as research or development flights conducted ‘in house’ may, in some circumstances, not be considered as aerial work provided there is no valuable consideration given or promised in respect of that particular flight.

5 Operations

5.1 Visual Line of Sight (VLOS)

5.1.1 Operating within Visual Line of Sight means that the Remote Pilot is able to maintain direct, unaided (other than corrective lenses) visual contact with the remotely piloted aircraft which is sufficient to monitor its flight path in relation to other aircraft, persons, vessels, vehicles and structures for the purpose of avoiding collisions. Within the Mauritius Airspace, VLOS operations are normally accepted out to a maximum distance of 500 m horizontally and 400 ft vertically from the Remote Pilot. Operations at a greater distance from the Remote Pilot may be permitted if an acceptable safety case is submitted. For example, if the aircraft is large it may be justifiable that its flight path can be monitored visually at a greater distance than 500 m. Conversely, for some small aircraft, operations out to a distance of 500 m may be impractical.

5.2 Extended Visual Line of Sight (EVLOS)

5.2.1 EVLOS operations are operations, either within or beyond 500 m / 400 ft, where the Remote Pilot is still able to comply with his collision avoidance responsibilities, but the requirement for the Remote Pilot to maintain direct visual contact with the remotely piloted aircraft is addressed via other methods or procedures. It is important to note, however, that collision avoidance is still achieved through ‘visual observation’ (by the Remote Pilot and/or RPA Observers).

5.2.2 The operator should submit a safety case including a risk assessment for the operation. Factors taken into consideration should include:

• the procedures for avoiding collisions;

• aircraft size;

• aircraft color and markings;

• aircraft aids to observation;

• meteorological conditions and visibility, including background conditions (cloud / blue sky);

• the use of deployed observers; and

• operating range limits – suitable radio equipment must be fitted in order to be able to effect positive control over the at all of the remotely piloted aircraft.

5.3 Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS)

5.3.1 Operation of a remotely piloted aircraft beyond a distance where the Remote Pilot is able to respond to or avoid other airspace users by visual means is considered to be a BVLOS operation remotely piloted aircraft intended for operation beyond visual range of the pilot will require an approved method of aerial separation and collision avoidance that ensures compliance with Civil Aviation Regulations on the Rules of the Air (Rules for avoiding aerial collisions), or will be restricted to operations within segregated airspace Note that collision avoidance applies to all flights conducted under IFR and to flights made with an ATC clearance, as well as to flights under VFR.

6 Registration

6.1 Remotely piloted aircraft with an operating mass in excess of 20 kg are required to be registered unless they are flying under an exemption remotely piloted aircraft with an operating mass of more than 150 kg must be registered with the Authority. Once the Authority has processed the application, the aircraft will be issued with a registration ID consisting of five characters starting ‘3B-‘ (e.g. 3B-XAA) and the details will be entered into the aircraft register. The registration must be displayed permanently on the aircraft in accordance with the Civil Aviation Regulations.

7 Pilot Qualifications

7.1 Evidence of pilot competency is required when making an application for permission to operate a remotely piloted aircraft but currently there are no pilot licenses for the operation of UA (refer to Section 2, Chapter 5). Until such licences are available, the Authority has decided to recognise as acceptable Basic National (remotely piloted aircraft) Certificate (BNUCTM) and Basic National (remotely piloted aircraft) Certificate – Small Unmanned Aircraft (BNUC-STM), as evidence of Remote Pilot competency. These certificates are type-specific qualifications which take into account the specific operating capabilities of the. remotely piloted aircraft

8 Insurance

8.1 remotely piloted aircraft Operators must comply with Insurance Requirements for Air Carriers and Aircraft Operators. Operators of remotely piloted aircraft are advised to consult the Regulation to determine a minimum suitable level of insurance

9 Areas of Operation

9.1 Congested Areas

9.1.1 From the definition of the meaning of ‘Congested Areas’. The definition states that a ‘Congested Area’ means any area in relation to a city, town or settlement which is substantially used for residential, industrial, commercial or recreational purposes. Operations of remotely piloted aircraft within congested areas may be permitted in specific locations on the basis of a safety case and suitable operational procedures being submitted as part of an application for aerial work. Separation distances from persons, vessels, vehicles and structures (dependent on whether or not they are under the control of the Remote Pilot) must be specified in the operations manual.

9.2 Site Survey Assessment

9.2.1 The use of non-established sites for flying remotely piloted aircraft requires an assessment of the suitability of that site to be made prior to commencing operations. Such an assessment should be made using a site visit and available information from at least the aeronautical charts, as well as other sources of information such as the Mauritius Aeronautical Information Service digital imagery (Google Earth/ Maps etc.), Survey maps etc.

9.2.2 Typical elements of an assessment that could affect the safety of the flight would include:

• the type of airspace and specific provisions (e.g. Controlled Airspace);

• other aircraft operations (local aerodromes or operating sites);

• hazards associated with industrial sites or such activities as live firing, gas venting, high-intensity radio transmissions etc.;

• local by-laws;

• obstructions (wires, masts, buildings etc);

• extraordinary restrictions such as segregated airspace around prisons, power plant establishments etc. (suitable permission may be needed);

• habitation and recreational activities;

• public access;

• permission from landowner;

• likely operating site and alternative sites;

• weather conditions for the planned flight; and

• minimum separation distances from persons, vessels, vehicles and structures.

10 Overflight of People

10.1 In the absence of airworthiness certification, the overflight of persons not under the control of the pilot is restricted and described in the conditions of the Permission issued by the Authority. For remotely piloted aircraft of 20 kg and below, The Civil Aviation Regulations 91 and 91A, 91B and 91C define the separation distances that must be applied. For remotely piloted aircraft operations over 20 kg, the overflight of persons may be allowed subject to the degree of airworthiness certification and appropriate operational procedures such as Ballistic Recovery Systems (BRS) (e.g. parachutes).

10.2 The safety case for the overflight of people should include an assessment of the Kinetic Energy Limits and the method of flight termination (e.g. BRS). Two crash scenarios should be considered in determining the impact kinetic energy of the remotely piloted aircraft, as follows:

(a) a free-fall from 400 ft for all; remotely piloted aircraft and

(b) additionally, for a remotely piloted aircraft capable of high forward speed, a maximum impact speed (set as 1.4 x maximum achievable steady speed in level flight).

10.2.1 Assuming negligible aerodynamic drag, an object dropped from 400 ft will hit the surface at 95 kt and the kinetic energy at impact will be 95 kJ if the mass of the object is 80 kg. Should the object in fact exhibit significant aerodynamic drag (without reliance upon any on-board 13 parachute deployment system), the impact velocity will be less and a higher mass may be permissible without exceeding a calculated 95 kJ.

10.2.2 In the second scenario and with a maximum speed of 70 kt, 95 kJ equates to a mass of 75 kg. The mass can be increased up to a maximum of 150 kg, provided the maximum achievable steady level flight speed is sufficiently low that the energy limit is not exceeded (e.g. at 150 kg a maximum speed of 49 kt is permitted).

11 Operational Limitations

11.1 A permission or exemption for remotely piloted aircraft conducting aerial work or equipped to undertake any form of surveillance or data acquisition will include a number of operational limitations.

11.2 For remotely piloted aircraft, these limitations will normally include a prohibition on flight:

• at a height exceeding 400 feet above ground level;

• at a distance beyond the visual range of the Remote Pilot, or a maximum range of 500 meters (see paragraphs 5.1 and 5.2 of this chapter);

• over, or within 150 meters of, any congested area of a city, town or settlement;

• within 50 meters of any person, vessel, vehicle or structure not under the control of the person in charge except that during the take-off or landing the remotely piloted aircraft shall not fly within 30 meters of any person other than the person in charge of the remotely piloted aircraft or a person in charge of any other remotely piloted aircraft or a person necessarily present in connection with the operation of such a remotely piloted aircraft;

• unless it is equipped with a mechanism that will cause the remotely piloted aircraft to land in the event of disruption to or a failure of any of its control systems, including the radio link, and the person in charge of the remotely piloted aircraft has satisfied himself that such mechanism is in working order before the remotely piloted aircraft commences its flight;

• unless the person in charge of the remotely piloted aircraft has reasonably satisfied himself that any load carried by the remotely piloted aircraft is properly secured, that the remotely piloted aircraft is in an airworthy condition and that the flight can safely be made taking into account the wind and other significant weather conditions;

• unless the operator maintains records of each flight made pursuant to the permission and makes such records available to the Authority on request;

• unless a site safety assessment has been completed by the operator and these site safety assessments are made available to the Authority on request;

• unless the permission of the landowner on whose land the remotely piloted aircraft is intended to take off and land has been obtained; and

• unless, in accordance with the operations manual submitted to the Authority.

11.3 remotely piloted aircraft with a mass of more than 7 kg may be subject to additional operational limitations to those stated above, in accordance with Regulation 91(4) of the Civil Aviation Regulations; these operational limitations will normally include a prohibition on flight:

(a) in Class A, C, D or E airspace unless the permission of the appropriate ATC unit has been obtained;

(b) within an aerodrome traffic zone during the notified hours of watch of the ATC unit (if any) at that aerodrome unless the permission of any such ATC unit has been obtained; or

(c) at a height exceeding 400 ft above the surface unless it is flying in airspace described in sub-paragraphs (a) or (b) and in accordance with the requirements thereof.

11.4 The Authority may also impose additional limitations as it thinks fit; such constraints will normally include a prohibition on:

• flights that have not been notified to the local Police prior to the flights taking place;

• flights where the maximum achievable steady speed in level flight is greater than 70 knots;

• aerobatic flight;

• tasks that involve aerial inspection of, or flight close to, any object or installation that would present a risk to safety in the event of damage due to any impact by the remotely piloted aircraft (e.g. chemical/gas storage areas); and

• participation in any public flying display (except with the written permission of the Authority).

12 Operations Manuals

12.1 The inclusion of an operations manual covering the procedures to be followed for all envisaged operations of the remotely piloted aircraft is a key 15 requirement to enable the Authority to accurately assess the application and the safety case, before deciding whether to grant an exemption or permission.

12.2 Guidance for the compilation of remotely piloted aircraft operations manuals can be found at Annex 1 to this Chapter.

13 Application Process

13.1 In order to ensure that sufficient safety measures have been put in place, operators that are required to apply for permission from the Authority will be asked to demonstrate that they have considered the safety implications and taken the steps necessary to ensure that the remotely piloted aircraft will not endanger anybody. This may be as simple as preparing a safety case for a one-off flight. For regular operators, the submission of an operations manual for approval will allow them greater freedom to operate regularly without the need to seek further approval from the Authority.

13.2 It is vital to be clear that it is the operator (defined in the Civil Aviation Regulations 91 and 91A, 91B and 91C – i.e. the person having management of the remotely piloted aircraft Remotely piloted aircraft and not another person who may, for example, have contracted with the operator to have work done) who should apply for an exemption or permission.

13.3 Applications for an exemption or permission should be made using the DCA application form DCA-RPA-2016.

DCA Ops Manual Template

DCA Operations Manual T​emplate

DCA-RPA- Application Form Version 1 – 2016

​DCA – RPA – Application Form Version 01 – 2016

Notice to RPA Operators

Notice to Remotely Pilot Aircraft Operators

Applicability

All operators of RPA within the Republic of Mauritius airspace, Air Traffic Service providers, AOC holders and General Aviation Pilots, operating within Mauritius airspace.

Introduction

Small unmanned aircraft are now widely available for commercial and recreational use. More commonly these are known as drones, they can cause injury or damage if they are not used responsibly and therefore are subject to safety rules, which are underpinned by Mauritius law.

Regulatory framework

Anyone using a small drone needs to be aware of the regulations contained in the Civil Aviation regulations amendment Regulations 2016 specifically:

Regulation-70 Endangering safety of any person or property

Regulation-91 Remotely piloted aircraft

Regulation-91A A Remotely piloted surveillance aircraft

Regulation-91B Remotely piloted aircraft or remotely piloted surveillance aircraft used for aerial work

Regulation-91C Remotely piloted aircraft or remotely piloted surveillance aircraft used for leisure or recreational purposes

These rules have been established to provide a safe environment in which small drones can be flown without coming into conflict with manned aircraft and without risk to other people or properties.

Drones operations is categories as follows:

1. Leisure/recreational

2. Commercial activity

There are specific additional steps that must be taken if a drone is being flown for ‘aerial work’.

You must be in possession of a Permission issued by the DCA before you conduct any aerial work with your drone.

Commercial operation of drones

Anyone who wants to fly a drone for commercial work (generally referred to as aerial work) needs a Permission from the DCA. You will need to be at least 18 years of age. To get this Permission, you will need to:

-demonstrate a sufficient understanding of aviation theory (airmanship, airspace, aviation law and good flying practice)

-pass a practical flight assessment (flight test)

-develop basic procedures for conducting the type of flights you want to do and set these out in an Operations Manual. An operations manual template is available on the DCA website

There are a number of recognized assessment organizations in Reunion, Africa and Europe that can help you meet these requirements. The assessment centre will generally help you develop an operations manual and will offer advice on completing any additional paperwork.

Once you meet the requirements you can make an application to operate an RPA using the ‘DCA RPA Application form’.

A Permission for Aerial Work (PFAW) is valid for up to 36 months and is subject to a renewal.

You should apply to renew your PFAW at least 30 days before the Permission period is due to expire.

If you want to start using a different weight class of drone that is not approved by your PFAW, you will need to contact the DCA immediately and not wait until the PFAW expires.

The PFAW allows flights within Mauritius subject to the conditions and limitations specified. However, the greater the amount of ‘freedom of operation’ that you require (in terms of locations, procedures and the duration of the permission), then the greater the amount of information you need to provide us (in terms of demonstrating that you can operate safely).

The price for a Permission depends on the proposed operation of the aircraft.

How much does it cost:

A current charge is Rs 10,000 but there is no limit on a maximum number of drones.

The renewal cost is the same for 3 years.

If you want to use a small unmanned aircraft or drone outside of the operating limits set out in the Air Navigation Order then you will need Permission from the DCA, even if your activity is non-commercial. This could include flying a device over a congested area, or within 50m of a building.

Applications for this type of Permission are considered on a case by case basis.

Insurance

An adequate level of insurance will need to be obtained by an operator before a Permission is granted.

Applicants should discuss these requirements directly with insurance providers, to ensure that adequate third party liability is provided to cover the intended scope of your operation.

The assessment process

The DCA does not organize or run assessment courses but will approve commercial organizations (Qualified Entities or QEs) to do this.

QE organizations will:

-Run full or restricted modular courses

-Make a recommendation to the DCA about the pilot’s competence

-This recommendation provides the basis for the DCA granting a PFAW.

Most QEs provide the full course and this is suitable for those with no previous aviation training or qualifications.

A typical QE full-course involves:

-pre-entry/online study

-1-3 days of classroom lessons and exercises

-a written theory test

-a flight assessment

After successfully completing the theory element, the pilot will:

-develop their own operations manual

-practice aircraft operation/flying skills for the practical flight assessment.

Flight assessments

These are completed at your own pace and:

-usually arranged separately but may be available on the last day of the course

-have no structured syllabus or sequence of numbered exercises

Concessions

Concessions against the theory part of the course are possible if you have:

-flying experience (including model aircraft)

-a license or certificate that allows you to fly in un-segregated airspace (PPL, glider rating)

Pilot Training organizations (QEs) recognized by DCA

-3iC Ltd

-Aerial Motion Pictures Ltd

-ATEC-3D

-Cambridge UAV

-CEFAS

-Cyberhawk

-Drone Pilot Academy

-EuroUSC

-Heliguy

-Hexcam

-NATS RPAS

-Resource Group

-RTPRheinmetall – RUSTA

-Sky-Futures

-The Great Circle

-Transparent Marine & Electrical trading as Commercial Drone Training

-UAV Air

-UAV8 Ltd

There are many training institution offering drone pilot training in, South Africa, France etc which can be used to obtain a pilot certification acceptable to the DCA. Please confirm before you organize such a course that the training institution will be recognized by the DCA.

How to renew your permission

Most Permissions for Aerial Work (PFAW) are granted for 36 months and then need to be renewed by the holder. If the PFAW is not renewed it becomes invalid and the holder must not undertake commercial work with a drone until the Permission is renewed. We recommend that you apply to renew your application at least 30 days before it is due to expire, but not more than 90 days before the expiry date.

How to apply

You will need to:

-complete form DCA PRA Application FORM , ticking the Renewal box and send to DCA

-resubmit your operations manual, highlighting any changes and also provide proof of applicable insurance requirements

-provide logbook evidence of at least 2 hours total RPA/RPAS flight time in the last 3 months preceding your application

Changes and variations to your PFAW

If you need to inform us of any changes or variations to your Permission for Aerial Work, such as using a different class of drone or type of activity, please:

-complete DCA form, ticking the Variation box and send to the Department of Civil Aviation.

You can do this at any time and should not wait until your PFAW is due to expire. You should not undertake any activity unless it is explicitly approved by the terms of your PFAW.

Ensuring that you stay within the law

A PFAW only authorizes the commercial use of a drone from a safety perspective. Operators are still subject to rules and regulations imposed by other bodies and organisations. Before beginning a job in a particular location a PFAW holder should always check with all relevant bodies to establish what, if any, restrictions apply. Operators should also be sure they understand the rules around trespass and nuisance

Some help on defining ‘person(s) under the control of the drone operator’

Due to the large number of possible circumstances, the DCA can only give general guidelines, however a person or people under the control of the drone operator can generally be defined as:

-Anyone solely present for the purpose of participating in the drone flight operation.

-Anyone under the control of the event or site manager who can reasonably be expected to follow directions and safety precautions to avoid unplanned interactions with the drone. Such people could include building-site or other industrial workers, film and TV production staff and any other pre-briefed, nominated individuals with an essential task to perform in relation to the event.

Spectators or other people gathered for sports or other mass public events that have not been specifically established for the purpose of the drone operation are generally not regarded as being ‘under the control of the drone operator’.

In principle, someone who is under the control of the drone operator at a mass public event must be able to:

-decide to participate or not to participate;

-broadly understand the risks involved;

-have reasonable safeguards established for them by the site manager and drone operator;

-not be restricted from taking part in the event or activity if they decide not to participate with the drone operation.

For example: if filming at a large music festival it would not be sufficient for the audience to be informed of a drone filming via a public address system, or in advance by e-mail or text. Those communication channels would not satisfy the points above.

Permission will be granted for drone flights at public events by special arrangement. These permissions will be extremely limited and usually involve a segregated take-off site with the drone operating only vertically within strict lateral limits. There is no allowance for direct over-flight of persons.

NOTE WITHOUT SPECIAL PERMISSION YOU WILL NOT BE AUTHORIZED TO OPERATE YOUR RPA WITHIN CONTROLLED AIRSPACE.

Making of Films, commercials, documentaries

Prior to using your RPA for the above purposes you need to have the appropriate authorization from the Mauritius Film Development Corporation. Details are available on their website

Obtaining approval from the Information & Communication Technologies Authority (ICTA)

You must obtain the appropriate approval from the ICTA to operate your wireless RPA. Contact details are available on their website

Drone operators from overseas willing to carry out work in Mauritius

The DCA will on occasion be able to grant a temporary permission for aerial work to a commercial drone operator. This will depend on the evidence of ‘pilot competency’ that the applicant is able to provide and the location(s) where the filming is to take place. Each application is considered on its own merits.

Applications should be made on the standard DCA RPA Application form and information should also be supplied about the scope of the operation and where and when it will take place.

In the majority of cases, only the ‘standard’ DCA permission is granted and this favors aircraft weighing no more than 7kg (15 lbs). Any aircraft weighing more than 20kg (44 lbs) are subject to a more involved process and are more difficult to approve.

All applications should be made as far in advance as possible.

Reporting safety concerns

Anyone using a drone has to follow some basic safety rules to ensure that members of the public are protected. Drone operators must also respect the privacy of people on the ground.

The Civil Aviation Regulations defines a congested area as being ‘any area of a city, town or settlement which is substantially used for residential, industrial, commercial or recreational purposes’.

Permission must be obtained from the DCA to land or operate within a congested area. Permissions granted may be valid for one flight or for a period of up to 12 months. The date of expiry will clearly be stated on the ‘Permission’.

In order to ensure that sufficient safety measures have been put in place, we will need you to demonstrate that they have taken the necessary steps to ensure their drone will not endanger people, property or aircraft. This may be as simple as preparing a safety case or a safety risk assessment for a one-off flight.

An individual or organization that would like to conduct regular flights with their drone, however, will need to submit an operating manual to the DCA for a permanent approval. This will allow greater freedom to operate continuously without the need to seek ad hoc approvals.

This type of Permission could be of use to:

-emergency services,

-a local authority or organization that would like to use a drone to carry out maintenance inspections of its property.

As with a Permission to carry out Aerial Work, the DCA will need to be assured of the competence of the person who will be flying the device. The ‘pilot’ therefore will probably need to undergo an assessment process with one of the recognised qualified Entities.

Authority:

This safety directive is issued by the Director of Civil Aviation under the provisions of Article 135 of CAR, and supersedes previous instruction. CAR and AOCRs will be amended in due course if required. If further clarification is required, please contact the DCA.

Captain Stuart Fox. for Director of Civil Aviation

RPA Operators

REMOTELY PILOTED AIRCRAFT OPERATORS

Drone Risk Assessment Checklist – 2021

Drone Risk Assessment and Special Permission Approval Guidance Material and Checklist – 2021​

ABBREVIATIONS / DEFINITIONS

The following abbreviations are within this GM:

CL Checklist

DCA Department of Civil Aviation

GM Guidance Material

RPA Remotely Piloted Aircraft

Safety Case/Kit/Risk Assessment Application detailing the whole RPA operations including risk assessment and aerial work request

1. INTRODUCTION

In general, drone operations are regulated under Regulation 91 of the Civil Aviation (Amendment) Regulations 2016.

On a case to case basis, drone can be required to be operated in the following areas with the permission of the Authority –

(a) in Class A airspace, Class C airspace, Class D airspace or Class E airspace;

(b) within an aerodrome traffic zone during the notified hours of watch of the air traffic control unit at that aerodrome unless permission of the air traffic control unit is obtained; or

(c) at a height of more than 400 feet above the surface unless it is flying in airspace specified in subparagraph (a) or (b) and in accordance with the requirements for that airspace;

(d) over a congested area or within 150 meters of that area;

(e) over an organized open-air assembly of people or within 150 meters of that assembly;

(f) within 50 meters of any vessel, vehicle or structure which is not under the control of the person in charge of the aircraft; or

(g) within 50 meters of any person not under the control of the person in charge of the aircraft;

(h) restricted areas as per AIP Enroute 5.1-1.

Under the above circumstances, Regulations 91 (5), 91A (6) and 91C (3) require that all drone operators should submit in their special permission application a risk assessment and appropriate mitigating measures in their application. It has been noted that most of the risk assessment submitted by drone operators were incomplete or inadequate or does not fully meet the requirements of the DCA.

In this respect, the Authority is hereby issuing this guidance material and checklist (GM & CL) to enable drone operators intending to operate in any of the above listed scenarios or areas of operations to prepare a complete a detailed risk assessment which should normally comprise of the following:-

(i) Identify all possible risks depending on the scenarios.

(ii) Elaborate acceptable mitigating measures to ensure safe operations.

Note: (1) The RPA (Drone) operator is required to submit their own risk assessment form and/or matrix as defined in their Drone Operations Manual. A typical example of a Risk Assessment Form that a drone operator submits is illustrated in Appendix 1 of this GM & CL.

(2) Failure to provide the DCA with reasonable mitigating measures to bring the risks to an acceptable level would result in denial of the special permission.

2. GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR RISK ASSESSMENT

1. An operational risk assessment shall:

(a) describe the characteristics of the drone operation;

(b) propose adequate operational safety objectives;

(c) identify the risks of the operation on the ground and in the air considering all of the below:

i. the extent to which third parties or property on the ground could be endangered by the activity;

ii. the complexity, performance and operational characteristics of the drone involved;

iii. the purpose of the flight, the type of drone, the probability of collision with other aircraft and class of airspace used;

iv. the type, scale, and complexity of the drone operation or activity, including, where relevant, the size and type of the traffic handled by the responsible organization or person;

v. the extent to which the persons affected by the risks involved in the drone operation are able to assess and exercise control over those risks.

(d) identify a range of possible risk mitigating measures;

(e) determine the necessary level of robustness of the selected mitigating measures in such a way that the operation can be conducted safely.

2. The description of the drone operation shall include at least the following:

(a) the nature of the activities performed;

(b) the operational environment and geographical area for the intended operation, in particular overflown population, orography, types of airspace, airspace volume where the operation will take place and which airspace volume is kept as necessary risk buffers, including the operational requirements for geographical zones;

(c) the complexity of the operation, in particular which planning and execution, personnel competencies, experience and composition, required technical means are planned to conduct the operation;

(d) the technical features of the drone, including its performance in view of the conditions of the planned operation and, where applicable, its registration number;

(e) the competence of the personnel for conducting the operation including their composition, role, responsibilities, training and recent experience.

3. The assessment shall propose a target level of safety, which shall be equivalent to the safety level in manned aviation, in view of the specific characteristics of drone operation.

4. The identification of the risks shall include the determination of all of the below:

(a) the unmitigated ground risk of the operation taking into account the type of operation and the conditions under which the operation takes place, including at least the following criteria:

i. VLOS or BVLOS;

ii. population density of the overflown areas;

iii. flying over an assembly of people;

iv. the dimension characteristics of the unmanned aircraft;

(b) the unmitigated air risk of the operation taking into account all of the below:

i. the exact airspace volume where the operation will take place, extended by a volume of airspace necessary for contingency procedures;

ii. the class of the airspace;

iii. the impact on other air traffic and air traffic management (ATM) and in particular:

— the altitude of the operation;

— controlled versus uncontrolled airspace;

— aerodrome versus non-aerodrome environment;

— airspace over urban versus rural environment;

— separation from other traffic.

5. The identification of the possible mitigation measures necessary to meet the proposed target level of safety shall consider the following possibilities:

(a) containment measures for people on the ground;

(b) strategic operational limitations to the drone operation, in particular:

i. restricting the geographical volumes where the operation takes place;

ii. restricting the duration or schedule of the time slot in which the operation takes place;

(c) strategic mitigation by common flight rules or common airspace structure and services;

(d) capability to cope with possible adverse operating conditions;

(e) organization factors such as operational and maintenance procedures elaborated by the drone operator and maintenance procedures compliant with the manufacturer’s user manual;

(f) the level of competency and expertise of the personnel involved in the safety of the flight;

(g) the risk of human error in the application of the operational procedures;

(h) the design features and performance of the drone in particular:

i. the availability of means to mitigate risks of collision;

ii. the availability of systems limiting the energy at impact or the frangibility of the unmanned aircraft;

iii. the design of the drone to recognized standards and the fail-safe design.

6. The robustness of the proposed mitigating measures shall be assessed in order to determine whether they are commensurate with the safety objectives and risks of the intended operation, particularly to make sure that every stage of the operation is safe.

Over and above the risk assessment to be submitted for a special permission approval, the Authority wish to draw the attention of the drone operators on the following matters to ensure that their application submitted to the DCA is complete for timely processing.

3. CHECKLIST

The following documents are required to be submitted for special permission applications:

1. Illustration of the whole operation processes into your safety case/kit/risk assessment:

(a) Flight plan (take-off/landing, hover/flight path, height, speed, how visual line of sight is maintained, number and position of pilots and observers, drone technical details etc);

(b) A map or floor plan (e.g. Google satellite map at the appropriate scale) of the activity site with annotation of launch/recovery point(s) and any horizontal flight path of the unmanned aircraft;

(c) Indicate if the activity is conducted for, or within proximity of an organized event where crowds are expected (marathon, festival, exhibition, parades, events, etc.).

(d) Indicate proposed dates of activity. It is recommended that operator submits alternate dates of operation in case external factors prevent RPA operation on the scheduled date. For e.g. if an operation is scheduled for 01 March, it is recommended that operator proposes alternate dates such as 03, 26 March etc as deemed appropriate by the operator.

(e) Consult the following AIP documents where appropriate to check whether you will fly within a controlled zone, restricted or danger areas:

(i) AIP Enroute 3.4-9

(ii) AIP Enroute 5.1-1

(iii) AIP Enroute 5.1-5

(iv) AIP Enroute 5.1-6

(v) AIP Enroute 5.1-7

(f) The RPA (Drone) operator should ensure that their application is complete against the DCA Drone Checklist as illustrated in Appendix 2 of this GM & CL.

2. Aerial Work Request Letter

Applicants will also be required to submit request letter or email from the company contracting the RPA operator for aerial work. This statement should confirm that the RPA operator has been contracted to perform the aerial work for which the Special Permission is being applied for.

4. GUIDANCE NOTES

There are a number of issues that can cause your application to be put on hold or delayed.

Ensuring that you abide the following will help us to process your application expediently:

1. Filming in towns and cities

The first thing to note is that in most cases this will not be possible without having at least a temporary permission from the DCA which will allow some types of flights within congested areas.

On its own, the temporary permission does not give the right to fly unhindered and you will still require permission from the owner, manager or authority for the land from which the RPA will be taking off and landing.

The conditions of the permission will also require that you ‘have control’ over the area you intend to use the camera equipped drone, and this includes any people or vehicles in the area over which you intend to fly the aircraft.

The minimum distances are stated on the permission.

Before filming you need to ensure that you have:

a. Permission from the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA)

b. Permission from the owner, manager or authority for the land from which the drone will be taking off and landing. Note: Some examples of permission from the required authority have been illustrated below.

c. Control over the area you intend to use the drone, including any persons, vessels or vehicles in the area over which you intend to operate the aircraft.

In order to exercise the necessary ‘control’ over a nearby public environment, it will often be necessary to contact the local authority to make suitable arrangements such as road-closures or other restrictions of access. This is a normal part of ground-based filming in urban areas and the same procedures should be followed in the case of camera equipped drone. Due to the lead times advisable for making such arrangements, Location Managers and production staff should start this process as early as possible.

2. Other permission, but not limited to, that operators should sought before seeking DCA approval:

1. State House Approval from the Secretary of Homes Affairs and the office of the President.

2. Filming purposes Authorization from the Mauritius Film Development Corporation

3. Port or Harbor Area Mauritius Ports Authority

4. Restricted Areas Approval from the Secretary of Homes Affairs (Defense and Home Affairs Division)

-Applicants must submit all supporting documentation at time of application in support of this process. Failure to submit all required documentary evidence will delay the assessment process.

3. Change of date of operation

There are many external factors, which are not within the control of the operator which would disrupt scheduled operations. If an operation has not been performed within the scheduled date or the alternate dates, the operator has to notify the DCA of a change in date of operation. In order to ensure safe operation, all change of dates will be assessed as an initial application. Operators will be charged Rs 1000.00 as specified in the scheme of charge.

5. APPLICATION PROCESSING TIME

-The typical processing time for a drone special permission is 5 working days depending on the completeness of the submission of supporting documents and complexity of the drone operations. Operators are encouraged to submit their applications well in advance of their intended operations and factor permit processing time into their planning.

-It is important to understand that it is the RPA operator who must apply for an exemption or permission.

-Issuance for a permission, exemption or approval will require payment of the necessary fees.

6. ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITY OF THE RPA (DRONE) OPERATOR:

1. Drone pilot logbook, aircraft logbook and maintenance log book should be kept up-to-date and readily available for inspection by DCA Inspectors.

2. Checklists, site survey form, risk assessment form, risk mitigating form and any other forms as illustrated in your Operations Manual should be properly filled and accessible to DCA Inspectors for inspection.

Advanced Air Mobility (AAM)

Short Essay Questions