The Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands, under the provisions contained in Articles 4 and 6 of the Air Navigation (Overseas Territories) Order 2013, has issued a Direction to restrict the use of small unmanned aircrafts (i.e. drones, UAV's, Quadcopters) in the vicinity of the airports, that is, Owen Roberts International Airport, Charles Kirkconnell International Airport and Edward Bodden Aerodrome. The Direction also establishes a restricted zone around HM Prison Northward to improve the security of its perimeter. The Direction was effective on February 1 2016.
No unmanned aircraft will be permitted to fly without permission issued by the Director-General of Civil Aviation (and the Director of Prisons where relevant), within a three nautical mile zone extending out from the perimeter of the airports or one nautical mile zone, extending out from the perimeter of Northward Prison.
The need for these restrictions arises from the explosion in the international sales of unmanned aircraft. Recent reports suggest that there has been a significant increase in the use of small unmanned aircraft, particularly in the vicinity of Owen Roberts International Airport. While there has been no incident to date, the risk of an accident caused by the impact of a small unmanned aircraft with a conventional aircraft or its ingestion by a jet engine increases proportionally. Reports have also shown that in the United States the unmanned aircrafts are being used to smuggle contraband into the Prisons. The Directions aid with enhancing the security of the Prison.
Persons who contravene the Direction will be liable to prosecution.
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