A proposal by the Department for Transport (DfT) could ban children in the U.K. from owning drones that weigh over 250g (0.55lb).
According to the proposal, children would only be allowed to fly heavier drones if the device in question was owned and registered by an adult.
This is the latest in a series of proposals, that seeks to reassure the public and ease fears of a fatal collision between a drone and a manned aircraft, and if approved, could form part of a draft Drone Bill.
A consultation on the latest proposals including online safety tests and mandatory registration of devices weighing over 250g with the Civil Aviation Authority is underway.
The Drone Bill is expected to be published before the year ends.
Existing legislation from the U.K government bans drones from flying at heights above 400ft (122m) and within 1km (0.6 miles) of airport boundaries.
Drone pilots who break these rules face unlimited fines or up to 5 years in prison as of the end of this month.
Aviation Minister Baroness Sugg said, “there are challenges we must overcome” to prevent the nuisances posed by drones from outweighing their potential benefits.
“That’s why we’ve already introduced safety measures like a height limit, and rules around airports, and today we are consulting on how we go further, including extra police powers and a minimum age requirement,” she added.
By: ClaraDoku/techvoiceafrica.com
