Taken from Diario Libre
SANTO DOMINGO. - President Luis Abinader submitted a new bill to the Senate seeking to amend the current civil aviation law to modernize it and include dozens of new consequences for those who commit violations in the exercise of air operations.
The legislation includes regulations for drones and their operators, who, from the date of the law's enactment, will be required to have a license or certificate to use these devices. Until now, drone regulations were governed by rules issued by the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation (IDAC), but there was no law specifically regulating the issue.
The project, which seeks to modify Law 491-06 on Civil Aviation, establishes that drone operators will have to pay from RD$25,000 to RD$500,000 if they commit minor infractions such as not reporting an emergency in mid-flight in writing or not ensuring that there is enough energy for the drone to stay in flight.
In other types of violations, drone operators could face fines of up to one million pesos if the drone obstructs or diverts the objective of any inspection or investigation. They will also have to pay the hefty fine if they fail to comply with any airworthiness maintenance requirements mandated by the equipment manufacturer.
Likewise, the following will be considered infractions : operating a drone remotely by two people simultaneously; starting a flight without previously designating a pilot; failing to ensure that the drone does not pose a danger to other people or nearby aircraft; operating a drone from a moving vehicle; or operating it at night without prior permission from the IDAC.
Other violations that could result in multimillion-dollar fines and even the cancellation of the permit to fly, according to the bill, include operating an aircraft with vision that is not aided by another device, flying a drone over a person, driving it at more than 100 miles per hour, and failing to yield the right-of-way to other aircraft.
Another article in the piece includes fines of up to three million pesos if at least 23 irregularities contained in the project are committed, including operating a drone in a prohibited area, presenting a false or fraudulent registration to demonstrate compliance with the requirements, falsification of the drone , not possessing a license or certificate that enables the operator as a pilot, and controlling the drone without the direct supervision of a remote control pilot.
More regulations
The new system of fines and consequences is not limited to drones and their operators, but also covers other areas such as air operators, Air Navigation Directorate personnel, aeronautical meteorology, aerodrome operators, and training programs or flight instructors.
New Law
According to the motivations that support the project, the Dominican Republic has the need to keep the Civil Aviation Law updated in line with international standards and with the methods recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organization.
"There are aspects of Law 491-06 that, given the time that has passed since its enactment, warrant their adaptation due to the changes that have occurred in the legal regime so that aviation functions can be carried out properly, taking into account criteria of rationality, coherence, planning and due process," the project states.
The decree to update the legislation
On March 23, President Luis Abinader issued Decree 172-24, declaring the continuous updating of the legal and regulatory framework governing civil aviation in the country a high national priority.
The directive instructed the Dominican Institute of Civil Aviation (IDAC) to lead the review and update of Civil Aviation Law 491-06, of December 22, 2006, in order to align it with the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Consequently, the IDAC was to submit a proposal to the Executive Branch for its evaluation and subsequent submission to the National Congress.
The law states that air transport services and operations generate a high economic and social impact.
