The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) may soon issue new regulations to guide the use of spectrum for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles or drones in the country. This was disclosed during a stakeholders’ consultative forum on the regulation of drones held in Lagos.
Executive Vice Chairman, NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, who was represented by the NCC’s Executive Commissioner, Stakeholders’ Engagement, Adewolu Adeleke, said that the commission was reviewing the guidelines on the use of 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz bands to accommodate the emerging technology.
According to Danbatta, before actions are carried out, it is important for the commission to deliberate with operators, investors and other stakeholders. He added that the drones should be effectively deployed for security and commercial purposes. He also said the appropriate spectrum for drones and its conditions of use needed to be properly spelt out.
“Furthermore, you may wish to note that the guidelines for the use of 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz spectrum bands are presently limited in its condition of use and therefore requires amendments.
“Toward this end, the new draft guidelines have incorporated some changes which include but not limited to duty cycle, transmission, reception frequencies, power, distance, speed and weight,” Danbatta said as quoted by Punch.
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Director, Spectrum Administration, NCC, Austin Nwaulune, said the drone market is now broad as it has grown exponentially and the technology had found application in several areas that were contributing to the development of nation.
Nwaulune emphasized the usefulness of drones, stating that it had a lot of potential in the protection of people and the environment and in surveillance as it had a wider field of view and reduces manual labour.
What you should know: The NCC has also recently announced that it was working on regulations that would enable telecommunication operators lease spectrum to one another. This is due to the challenges of unavailable spectrum in the country.
