Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman is to table a Bill to regulate commercial drones amid concern around the growth in airborne deliveries over neighbourhoods in Dublin.
The proposed legislation would establish the need for drone operation bases to have planning permission before setting up.
It would require local authorities to set out policies on where and how commercial drone usage may be allowed and give them powers to investigate resulting noise complaints.
It would also give priority to drone usage for public interest activities, such as deliveries of medical supplies, safety inspections, archaeological investigations and wildlife conservation surveys.
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Mr O’Gorman said clarity for commercial drone operators and local authorities was badly needed as the Government’s recently published National Framework for Unmanned Drone Systems was vague and contained no commitments to legislate.
“Drones have a value in our society, but they are a really new technology and there has to be rules about how they work,” he said.
His Regulation of Drones Bill comes in advance of a public meeting scheduled for next Monday in Blanchardstown where the Drone Action D15 group has been raising concerns about the growing use of drones for fast food deliveries.
Manna, the company that pioneered the business and has recently teamed up with Deliveroo, has also revealed proposals to begin operations in Dundrum.
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The company has an application before Fingal County Council for permission to retain its base or ‘aerial delivery hub’ in Blanchardstown after setting it up without planning permission.
“Right now, there is confusion as to whether planning permission is needed where a drone base is being created. My Bill will clarify this,” Mr O’Gorman said.
The Bill would also make local authorities the body responsible for monitoring drone noise.
That power currently lies with the Environmental Protection Agency as drones are classified as aircraft.
