Local drone owners are growing increasingly restless with continuous extensions to a “temporary” ban on the importation of the aircraft. They believe this is preventing them from cashing in on the global billion dollar industry and undertaking projects in the national interest.
Stakeholders are also questioning why authorities appear more lenient with non-national importers of drones.
The ban was extended for the sixth time this weekend, as private drone users mobilized themselves to assist with the search for 16-year-old fisherman, Amali Mayers.
President of the Barbados Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Association (BUAVA) Charles Pile told Barbados TODAY that drone technology could provide innovative progress for national security and law enforcement replacing helicopters, which are no longer being used.
But he argued that innovation in arts, energy and a myriad of other industries continues to be stifled by the restrictions, which were first imposed under the Freundel Stuart administration in March 2016.
Since then, the association has been unable to engage in fruitful discussions with the current Government or the aviation authority on the passing of draft legislation which would ease the current limitations.