Airffic InspectionO guia para o futuro da inspeção com drones

REGULATIONS / ZA

África do Sul: regras para drones na inspeção

A África do Sul regula os drones sob a Part 101 dos Civil Aviation Regulations, em grande parte reescrita pela 26.ª Emenda de março de 2023. Cada UA precisa de um certificado de registro e de uma UAS Letter of Approval (12 meses), os pilotos precisam de um certificado de piloto remoto (RPC), e o trabalho comercial exige um certificado de operador de UAS (UASOC) e seguro de responsabilidade civil. É proibido voar sobre pessoas ou a menos de 50 m de uma pessoa, assim como a menos de 50 m de uma estrutura ou edifício. A regra da estrutura é dispensada com a permissão do proprietário e proteção para as pessoas no solo, o que é uma ajuda significativa para o trabalho de inspeção. Os voos acima de 400 ft, a menos de 10 km de um aeródromo ou perto de centrais nucleares, pontos-chave nacionais e outros locais sensíveis exigem aprovação do Diretor. Os voos BVLOS e noturnos são aprovados caso a caso no manual de operações ou nas especificações operacionais do UASOC.

Conferido com fontes oficiais

Os campos são registrados no idioma das notas de pesquisa.

Autoridade南アフリカ民間航空局 (SACAA) / South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA)
Marco principalCivil Aviation Regulations, 2011, Part 101 – Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems, made under the Civil Aviation Act 13 of 2009, with technical standards in SA-CATS 101. Part 101 was largely rewritten by the Twenty-Sixth Amendment of the Civil Aviation Regulations, 2023 (Notice No. R. 3170, GG 48228, 17 March 2023). It applies to Class 1 and 2 UAS unless the Director decides otherwise, and excludes autonomous aircraft, free balloons, aircraft that cannot be managed in real time, Part 94 aircraft, model aircraft and toys. The regulation text was read in a commercial legal-publisher reproduction (Acts Online), not the Government Gazette itself.
RegistroA UA may not be operated in South Africa without a certificate of registration and registration mark issued by the Director (101.02.4). The mark format is set in SA-CATS 101. Ownership transfers must be notified within 30 days. Each UAS also needs a UAS Letter of Approval (UASLA, 101.02.1), valid 12 months. Whether lighter or private-use aircraft are exempt depends on the Class 1/2 definitions in SA-CATS, which were not read (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22)
Remote IDNo Remote ID provision was found in the regulations read (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22)
Licenciamento de pilotosUnder the 2023 text the pilot must carry a valid remote pilot certificate (RPC), a copy of the UA operator's certificate (UASOC) and its operations specifications, a registration certificate for each UA, the operator's liability insurance certificate and the user manuals (101.05.10(1)). Operation types are commercial, corporate, non-profit or private.
Categorias de riscoClass 1 and 2 UAS as defined in the regulations and SA-CATS 101, combined with operation types (commercial, corporate, non-profit, private). There is no EU-style Open/Specific scheme. The class definitions were not read (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22)
BVLOSBVLOS is prohibited unless the Director approves it in a UASOC holder's operations manual, which requires meeting SA-CATS 101. Approved BVLOS must stay in VMC and below 400 ft above the surface unless otherwise approved (101.05.11).
Noturno e sobre pessoasNight flight is allowed only in R-VLOS operation or with Director approval for a UASOC holder, recorded on the OpSpec and compliant with SA-CATS 101. Night operations in controlled airspace need separate approval (101.05.12). No flight directly over people or within 50 m laterally of any person, except with a UASOC and Director approval, or for the operator's own crew with adequate safety provisions (101.05.13).
Perto de estruturasNo flight within 50 m laterally of any structure or building (101.05.14) unless the operator holds a UASOC with Director approval, or has the owner's permission and takes measures to protect people on the ground. Owner permission therefore opens close-in structure inspection. Unless the Director authorises otherwise: no flight above 400 ft, within 10 km of an aerodrome reference point, in restricted or prohibited airspace, or next to or above a nuclear power plant, prison, police station, crime scene, court, national key point or strategic installation (101.05.10(3)). National key points and strategic installations can include major power and industrial sites.
Interiores e confinadosThe applicability rule does not mention indoor operations (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22)
Imagens e privacidadeProtection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22)
Mudanças recentesThe Twenty-Sixth Amendment of the Civil Aviation Regulations (17 March 2023) substituted most of Part 101, bringing in UASLA, UASOC, RPC terminology and the current distance and night rules. Amendments in 2024-2026 were not checked (not verified against an official source, 2026-10-22)

Se o mesmo voo também envolver filmagem, o guia Aerial cobre regras e fontes para filmagem com drone na África do Sul.

Para as regras de entrega em outras partes da África, veja regras de entrega por drone e fontes primárias no Quênia no guia Logistics.

Fontes

Fontes verificadas: 2026-10-22