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Cape Town - While commercial drone operations stagger under regulatory stalemate in the US, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has launched a competition to develop civilian drones.
The UAE has launched an international competition for the best innovation in civilian drone technology.
"The competition reflects our commitment to harness creativity and innovation to serve the public good," said Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs.
A number of countries have already entered the competition which takes place from 6 - 7 February 2015 in Dubai. The competition winner will earn $1m.
Spain leads with 62 entries, followed by the US (47), India (34), Saudi Arabia (18), Colombia and Poland (15 each), and the UK (11).
Rule roadblock
"Each proposal could change the world, and hopefully inspire people to think about how we can use technology in new ways," said Al Gergawi.
Commercial drone policy has hit a road block in the US as regulators block commercial deployment of drone technology despite an early testing exception for news organisations.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has yet to come up with a dedicated set of rules for low-flying drones under 25kg and e-commerce giant Amazon has been lobbying for clear guidelines as the company wants to expand its delivery service using unmanned aerial vehicles.
At the recent Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, drone technology was on show and the technology has also been reducing in price as it heads to the consumer market.
Americans are deeply sceptical that the benefits of the heralded drone revolution will outweigh the risks to privacy and safety. (Mark Lennihan, AP, File)
The Association for Unmanned Vehicles International, a trade group, estimates that the US economy will lose $10bn a year so long as drone-specific regulations are lacking mainly because of safety and privacy concerns.
The Consumer Electronics Association, which organises the CES, said the market for these devices is hitting new heights as the technology previously used for military aircraft is adapted for consumer and industrial activities.
SA drone fines
According to CEA research, the global market for consumer drones will approach $130m in revenue in 2015, up 55% from 2014, with unit sales of consumer drones expected to reach 400 000, reaching revenue of $1bn in just five years.
In SA, the Civil Aviation Authority has warned that drone flyers face huge fines.
Those who fly drones in civil airspace could face fines of R50 000, a prison sentence of up to ten years, or both.
But despite the legal roadblocks it is likely that drone technology will make inroads, especially in areas where it is dangerous for people to trek.
Examples of some useful drone technology include combating of poachers in Spain and Kenya, aerial support for sea rescues in New Zealand, and the mapping and tracking of disaster zones in Saudi Arabia.
Watch this online video of how drones can be used to capture brilliant wildlife footage.
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