Abstract
AbstractIn contrast to their use in warfare and surveillance, there is growing interest in the potential of “drones for good” to deliver societal benefits, for example by delivering medical products and other essential goods. Yet development of medical and commercial delivery has been limited globally by restrictive regulation to protect airspace safety and security. In this paper we examine how certain African countries have become testbeds for new forms of drone infrastructure and regulation, driven by the overlapping interests of governments, drone operators, and international development agencies. In particular we explore the factors that have led to the development of an advanced medical delivery network in Rwanda and contrast that with the closing down of airspace for drones in Tanzania. The paper makes a distinctive contribution to research on the ongoing constitution of dronespace as a sphere of commercial and governmental activity. Rwanda’s drone delivery system is seen as the forerunner for the wider enclosure and parcelling up of the lower atmosphere into designated drone corridors that limit the democratic and disruptive potential of drone activity in line with prevailing logics of airspace regulation.
Highlights
The proliferation of drones – otherwise known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) – has become a source of growing potential and anxiety in recent years
We show how drone delivery is predicated on investment in securitised infrastructure solutions to regulatory dilemmas, which, while potentially resolving competing logics of enclosure, are likely to replicate the monopolistic and selective socio‐spatial modes of existing aeromobilities, challenging claims about the drone democratisation of airspace
The updated regulations maintain registration requirements ( “toys” became exempt), but permit 50 kg drones and speeds up to 100 mph, and allow for exceptional permission to fly in prohibited and restricted areas. They established a framework for enabling commercial Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flights if: (1) the operation is approved by air traffic control (ATC); (2) drones have appropriate “Detect and Avoid” technology and capacity to respond to changing weather conditions; (3) flights are operated from established aerodromes, droneports, or locations meeting specified standards; and (4) direct telephone communication is maintained between pilots and ATC
Summary
The proliferation of drones – otherwise known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) – has become a source of growing potential and anxiety in recent years. The World Bank’s Tanzania office took a special interest in drones as a technology and lower airspace as an undeveloped resource, which could potentially leapfrog infrastructure constraints on economic development and poverty reduction It took a leading role supporting drone experiments, and aligning donors, drone operators, and government interests, with particular focus on land mapping and developing cargo delivery to remote communities. The updated regulations maintain registration requirements ( “toys” became exempt), but permit 50 kg drones and speeds up to 100 mph, and allow for exceptional permission to fly in prohibited and restricted areas Most significantly, they established a framework for enabling commercial BVLOS flights if: (1) the operation is approved by ATC; (2) drones have appropriate “Detect and Avoid” technology and capacity to respond to changing weather conditions; (3) flights are operated from established aerodromes, droneports, or locations meeting specified standards; and (4) direct telephone communication is maintained between pilots and ATC. Our findings challenge claims that drone experiments will offer an inherently democratising form of aeromobility and unlimited connectivity
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
