The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is stepping up regulation of drone operations as remotely piloted aircraft systems gain wider use across key sectors of the economy.
The move is aimed at creating room for businesses and public agencies to benefit from drone technology while preventing growing drone activity from creating safety and security risks within Ghana’s airspace.
Director-General of the GCAA, Rev. Stephen Wilfred Arthur, said the Authority was adopting a risk-based regulatory approach to ensure that oversight matched the scale and complexity of individual drone operations.
He said the regulator was also strengthening surveillance and enforcement systems to keep pace with the rapid expansion of unmanned aviation.
Speaking at the opening of the Joint Authorities for Rulemaking on Unmanned Systems (JARUS) meeting in Accra, Rev. Arthur said the growth of the drone industry was creating new opportunities for economic activity and public service delivery, but also increasing the responsibilities of aviation regulators.
“Our responsibility is to create an environment that supports innovation while ensuring that safety, security and the orderly use of airspace remain paramount,” he said.
The GCAA has adapted the JARUS Specific Operations Risk Assessment methodology through its Assessment of Risk for RPAS Operators (ARRO) framework.
The Authority is also strengthening its Performance- and Risk-Based Surveillance system to ensure that regulatory controls remain proportionate to the nature of drone operations.
In addition, it is developing a national Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM) Concept of Operations as Ghana prepares for increased integration of unmanned aircraft into the national airspace.
The regulator is also monitoring developments in Advanced Air Mobility as the technology and its commercial applications continue to evolve.
Rev. Arthur said the GCAA was pursuing measures to make regulatory processes, including drone registration, renewals and importation clearance, more efficient and accessible to operators.
Drone technology is increasingly being applied in medical logistics, agriculture, environmental monitoring, mining, surveying, mapping and infrastructure inspection.
The operations of Zipline in Ghana’s medical delivery system have emerged as a major example of how unmanned aircraft can support commercial activity and public service delivery.
However, the expansion of drone operations has also increased the need for strict compliance, particularly around airports and other controlled areas.
Rev. Arthur said drones were prohibited within designated areas around airports and along specified flight paths because of the potential risk of collisions with conventional aircraft during take-off and landing.
The GCAA conducts physical patrols in restricted areas, particularly during periods of heightened activity, while engaging drone operators on where, when and how the aircraft can legally be flown.
The Authority also maintains a database of drone users and imported aircraft, including information on drone types, importation, clearance and licensing.
Although violations continue to occur, the GCAA is seeking to reduce infractions through a combination of enforcement and public education.
The enforcement framework provides sanctions for breaches, but Rev. Arthur said the preferred approach was to ensure that operators understood regulatory requirements before undertaking flights.
The regulatory drive comes as Ghana works to integrate emerging aviation technologies into an increasingly complex airspace environment.
Greater use of drones will require closer coordination between unmanned aircraft operators and conventional aviation users, particularly airlines and other aircraft operating within controlled airspace.
The JARUS meeting in Accra is expected to strengthen regulatory cooperation and support the development of harmonised approaches to unmanned aviation.
Rev. Arthur said common standards and greater sharing of regulatory experience among countries would help facilitate the safe and scalable deployment of drone technology across jurisdictions.
He also called for increased collaboration in capacity building, training and type certification, particularly for countries still developing their unmanned aviation regulatory frameworks.
For Ghana, the challenge is to expand the economic applications of drone technology while maintaining effective control of the national airspace.
The GCAA is therefore placing greater emphasis on risk-based regulation, digital regulatory processes, surveillance and enforcement as drone activity expands.
“We believe that by working together, regulators, industry and standards organisations can create a framework that supports innovation without compromising safety,” Rev. Arthur said.
