Not all Drones Need a Permit

But you don’t need to worry if you happen to have a drone weighing under eight ounces because the regulations do not apply to you. He said that there are different classifications of drones and the use of drones and that is done by their weight, which is specified on the box it is packaged in. But if your device weighs more than eight ounces, then you need to register it and get a permit. And just in case you were thinking of circumventing the system and operating your drones without a permit, there could be some stiff penalties knocking at your door. The Civil Aviation Act states that the penalty for anyone operating commercial drones without a permit from the Civil Aviation Department can face a fine of up to fifty thousand dollars and or imprisonment of up to five years. Carter says normally people cannot import commercial drones and start using them without going undetected, however.

Nigel Carter

Nigel Carter, Director, Civil Aviation

“What we do have is an agreement with Customs. And, normally, when you try to bring your—we advise that you get a permit to bring your drone into the country ahead of time. If not, Customs will not release it to you until such time that you get that permit. So we do advise that if you intend to bring one of the DGI drones into the country, then you should reach out to us, and we will ensure that you get that permit.”