Senate moves to tighten penalties for dangerous drone and aircraft use

Operators of drones and other aircraft who fly in ways that put people, property, or other aircraft at risk could soon face much heavier penalties under amendments to the Civil Aviation Act now before the Senate.

Senators took up the proposed changes on Friday. The updates aim to bring Jamaica’s airspace rules in line with international standards and to address gaps left by rapid growth in unmanned aerial vehicle use. Drones have become widely used locally over the past decade in areas such as security surveillance, military operations, and video production, and the revised law explicitly covers unmanned aircraft in spaces where restrictions apply.

Under one clause, dangerous flying of an aircraft in a manner that causes or is likely to cause harm would carry a higher fine on summary conviction before a parish court. The maximum penalty would rise from a fine not exceeding $20,000, while a term of imprisonment of up to three years would remain unchanged. Opening remarks in the debate also pointed to the possibility of multi-million-dollar fines for serious offences.

Opposition senators cautioned that deterrents must stay proportionate, especially for small operators, recreational drone users, aviation training providers, and maintenance firms. They asked whether the minister had carried out a regulatory impact assessment to gauge how the new penalties would affect those sectors.

Officials said part of the push to update the law is to safeguard tourism, which has become a major economic driver. Jamaica recorded 4.3 million visitors in 2026, generating a record US$4.6 billion. Authorities also noted that the country has not seen a major commercial airline crash since 2009 and want strong rules to help keep that record intact.

The bill would also provide for an Accident Investigation Authority to operate as an independent body whenever an aviation accident or serious incident occurs within the Kingston flight information region. The legislation sets out how the authority would be constituted, how members would be appointed, and grants it powers comparable to those of a Commission of Inquiry.