Ghana

UAS regulations

The Ghana CAA has adopted regulatory text which is aligned with the European UAS Regulations (EASA/EC 2019/947+945) alternative means of compliance parts that publish the JARUS operational categorisation (risk-based concept for a performance-based regulatory approach) and the equivalent of the 'Specific' operations risk assessment (SORA) methodology. 

Here is the Ghana CAA RPAS / drones 'landing page':  http://www.gcaa.com.gh/web/?p=894

It is very professional and well laid out, with links to the following pages:

PROCEDURES FOR RPAS USE IN GHANA

RPAS RESOURCES

CERTIFIED COMMERCIAL RPAS OPERATORS

RPAS ADVISORY CIRCULARS

The 'procedures for RPAS use in Ghana' page lists nine different procedures for RPAS use in Ghana, with links: 

1. Customs Clearance/Importation
2. Approval Process for Recreational and Private Operations
3. Approval Process for Commercial Operations
4. Approval Process for Flights above 400ft Above Ground Level (AGL) and Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Operations
5. Approval Process for Special Authorisation
6. Procedure for Pilot and Pilot Instructor Licensing
7. Procedure for Approval for Sale of RPAS
8. Procedure for Change of Ownership of an RPAS
9. RPAS Associations/Clubs

The RPAS RESOURCES pages provides a list of 19 resources:  http://www.gcaa.com.gh/web/?page_id=859 

A list of approved commercial operators and authorised retailers is here:
http://www.gcaa.com.gh/web/?page_id=993

And the RPAS Advisory Circulars page has the following:

1. Guidelines for RPAS Category of Operations (CONOPS)
2. Assessment of Risk for RPAS Operators (ARRO) Methodology
3. RPAS Emergency Response Plan

The Ghana CAA Directive Part 28 delineates classes of RPAS operations as:

 i. Small RPAS: Unmanned aircraft with maximum take-off weight up to 1.5 kg, and shall be flown only within the visual line of sight of the pilot.
ii. Light RPAS: Unmanned aircraft with maximum take-off weight of more than 1.5 kg but less than or equal to 7 kg, and shall be flown only within the visual line of sight of the pilot.
iii. Large RPAS: Unmanned aircraft with maximum take-off weight of more than 7 kg which shall be flown either within the VLOS of the pilot or BVLOS of the pilot with prior authorisation of the Authority.

and three categories: BVLOS Category A (direct control), BVLOS Category B (autopilot control) and BVLOS Category C (waypoint control).

Any operations above 400 ft AGL or BVLOS must be in compliance with the commercial RPAS requirements. For large BVLOS operations, a special certificate of airworthiness (restricted category), or an experimental certificate issued by the Authority is required. Detect And Avoid for traffic and Sense and Avoid for all other hazards such as hazardous meteorological conditions, terrain and obstacles are required. The directive appears to allow for authorization by the Authority for the conduct of BVLOS operations under VFR if the area is void of other traffic (one of several possibilities). For all operations that require special authorisation, application is via: FORM R28-AF-007: APPLICATION FOR SPECIAL AUTHORISATION FOR REMOTELY PILOTED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS (RPAS) OPERATIONS [http://www.gcaa.com.gh/web/wp-content/uploads/2018/RPAS/Application-for-Special-Authorisation-R28-AF-007.pdf].

[LATEST UPDATE: September 2021, by David Guerin]