Operator Requirements Include Government-Sanctioned Course, Insurance, Flight Plans

The Colombian civil aviation authority recently released its National Drone Regulations ... and if you thought the FAA was bad, you're very happy you don't live in Columbia.

Pablo Castro is the founder of Intelygente, a video and photography production company based in Bogotá, Colombia. He has been operating camera drones since 2010. He writes on the Petapixel website that the Colombian Drone Regulation is 34 pages containing "the most absurd, abusive, illogical laws I’ve ever seen."

To operate a small quadcopter legally in Columbia, according to Castro, you must take a required training course similar to a private pilot ground school. But they must be taken at an authorized aeronautical school, and the Aeronáutica Civil, the Colombian equivalent to the FAA, has not authorized any schools to offer such a course. And when they do, they would cost at least $5,000, according to schools contacted by the author, and must be renewed every six months.

Aeronáutica Civil also requires third-party insurance, which Castro says is not available from any Colombian insurance company; mandates radio communication with the nearest control tower during every flight; and the flight plans for every flight be filed 15 days prior to that flight.

Castro says that a National Association of Drone Operators has been formed, and that they have created a petition on change.org to try to force changes on the part of the Colombian government. He urges non-Colombians to sign the petition as well, as the county is "establishing a dangerous legal precedent with this absurd set of regulations. Who knows? Your country might be next."

(Image from file)

FMI: Change.org Petition