INVESTIGATING THE TECHNOLOGICAL GROWTH OF THE DRONE INDUSTRY IN SOUTH AFRICA

The regulation of drones is a huge challenge for most countries around the world. The regulation and application processes are as much a challenge in South Africa as they are elsewhere. The number of drones is growing at a rapid pace, and there is a need to improve the current status to benefit from the technology. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the South African drone industry and to propose recommendations to enhance drone technology in South Africa. The research design applied in this paper was qualitative. Data was collected by interviewing drone operators who were interested in participating in this study. This was done to understand the drone approval process in South Africa and the perceptions of drone operators. The results indicated that commercial drone operators are being negatively impacted by the drone approval structure in South Africa and that it is holding the industry back. Key factors affecting the existing drone approval structure were identified and used to propose the strategies for improvement. The findings in this study could assist stakeholders in the South African drone industry to make effective decisions and to formulate policies that would promote the technological growth of the industry. Keywords: Approval process, Drones, Regulation, Technological growth