The technology of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) in the world has been developing strongly in recent years. It is less known that the first flight of the drone took place back in 1917 in Great Britain.
Namely, the first unmanned aerial vehicles were developed in Britain and the United States during the First World War. The British Aerial Target, a small radio-controlled aircraft, was first tested in March 1917, while the American air torpedo known as the Kettering Bug first took off in October 1918. Although both showed promises in-flight tests, neither of them was used operationally during the war,
According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, the number of patents for drone technology is growing rapidly, rising by 34% from 7,076 in 2017 to 9,485 in 2018 alone.
Strong technological development of technology does not follow the legislation that regulates that area. There are no attempts to establish any international legislation, so it remains to be seen how the regulation of the use of drones differs from country to country around the world.
Surfshark analyzed the legislation of 210 countries around the world. Sources such as UAV Coach, RAND Corporation, UAV Systems International, and the Library of Congress (US) were used. At least 143 countries in the world have enacted some form of drone regulation. Laws range from a total ban on technology to relatively unrestricted use, but most legislation focuses on precise rules for the use of drones.
According to national legislation for drones, countries can be divided into six groups: countries with a total ban, countries where the use of drones is allowed in completely limited circumstances, countries where the use of drones is allowed only in the sight of the person operating them, countries in which are allowed the limited use of unmanned aerial vehicles out of the sight of the persons operating them, countries of unrestricted use and countries without any law on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles.
While some countries, such as Cuba, Iraq, Iran, and Kuwait, have explicitly banned the use of drones, others have enacted laws that allow for more experimental use of the technology.
On each continent, at least one state allows the use of unmanned aerial vehicles out of sight of the persons operating them.
Europe has the most liberal regulations on drones compared to other continents. 27% of European countries allow unlimited use of drones, the global average is 18%. Europe is also the continent with the most recommendations in national legislation for the use of drones.
In a third of North American countries, limited use of drones is generally allowed outside the sight of those who operate them, which is above the global average of 22%. their delivery infrastructure and develop methods for sending light packages over short distances.
67% of countries in South America allow the use of drones only in the field of view of the person who operates it, which is the highest average compared to other continents. No South American country has a direct ban on drones but only Guyana allows flights out of sight of the person operating the drone.
In the Middle East and Central Asia, as many as 21% of countries have a direct ban on drones, the global average is 11%. Across Asia, 15% of Asian countries have such a ban, far more than the global average of 8%. Very few countries have the ability to use drones out of sight of those who operate them. In Japan, this is only allowed for government organizations.
As many as 56% of countries in Oceania have no laws on drones. More than half of African countries do not have drone laws. Of the countries that have legislation, 21% have a complete ban on this technology, and 13% allow its use only in limited conditions
