Portugal Accelerates Drone Law After 8 Close Encounters with Aircraft

July 17, 2017

Portugal is expediting a law that will introduce mandatory registration and insurance for drones weighing more than 250 grams (8.8 ounces).

The measure follows eight near-misses between drones and commercial aircraft at Portuguese airports in June. Airlines have warned of a potential disaster caused by drones.

Infrastructure Minister Pedro Marques says experts are also developing radar technology that will allow the detection of small unmanned aircraft.

Marques told a parliamentary committee Friday that he doesn’t expect planned European Union-wide legislation on smaller drones to be ready before next year, so the Portuguese government is accelerating its own law for publication by the end of this month.

EU laws currently cover only drones weighing more than 150 kilograms (330 pounds).

Topics Aviation

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