Drone Operation: NUSA vows not to compromise on safety, members duly licensed by NCAA

The President, Nigeria Unmanned Systems and Robotics Association (NUSA), Air Vice Marshal Olufemi  Idowu (retd) has promised to ensure that safety is not compromised in the operation of drones in the country.

To achieve this, he said, the body will continue to liaise with the appropriate Nigeria’s licensing authorities. 

AVM Idowu made the promise at a safety Seminar held at the NIGAV Centre at the Lagos Airport, with the theme ‘Safety and risk management for unmanned aircraft operations’.

He said, NUSA would ensure that interested members or would-be members were duly licensed by the the NCAA in order to sustain safety in the airspace while fostering development on private unmanned system. 

“Today, NUSA as part of its commitment to the safe and responsible use of unmanned aircraft in Nigeria, is hosting this seminar to better educate members on safety and risk management in unmanned aircraft operations”.

The NUSA President noted that, the Association has a target and was working assiduously to reach non NUSA members especially the unlicensed ones whose operations may likely constitute a safety hazard in the national airspace. 

“We serve as a body of knowledge on unmanned systems for government regulatory bodies as well as interested stakeholders and end users of unmanned systems especially remotely piloted aircraft systems”.

Earlier in his address of welcome, the Chairman of Dronteck and host of the seminar, Mr. Fortune Idu, said NUSA is a Non-Governmental Organization duly recognised by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority NCAA and founded to foster, develop and promote unmanned vehicle systems and robotics technologies in the country.

He said, the Unmanned Aircraft Systems, UAS and the autonomous vehicle industry has continued to grow in an exponential rate, adding that, this emerging industry remained a game changer with huge potential to create jobs in software and hardware engineering while empowering other sectors to deliver speed and efficiency.

Mr. Idu however lamented that drones entrepreneurship had continued to pose major safety challenges worldwide.

“This is a very sensitive window that can lead to disaster which should be a safety concern to all. As this industry continues to grow fast, so also the risk that comes with unsafe operations”.