In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires-
"Act"
means the Civil Aviation Authority Act, Cap. 354; "accident" means an occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft which, in the case of a manned aircraft, takes place between the time a person boards the aircraft with the intention of flight until such time as the person have disembarks, or, in the case of an unmanned aircraft, takes place between the time the aircraft is ready to move with the purpose of flight until such time as it comes to rest at the end of the flight and the primary propulsion system is shut down, in which- (a) a person is fatally or seriously injured as a result of- (i) being in the aircraft; (ii) direct contact with any part of the aircraft, including parts which have become detached from the aircraft; or (iii) direct exposure to jet blast; except when the injuries are from natural causes, self-inflicted or inflicted by other persons, or when the injuries are to stowaways hiding outside the areas normally available to the passengers and crew; or (b) the aircraft sustains damage or structural failure which- (i) adversely affects the structural strength, performance or flight characteristics of the aircraft; and (ii) would normally require major repair or replacement of the affected component, except for engine failure or damage, when the damage is limited to a single engine including its cowlings or accessories, to propellers, wing tips, antennas, probes, vanes, tires, brakes, wheels, fairings, panels, landing gear doors, windscreens, the aircraft skin such as small dents or puncture holes, or for minor damage to main rotor blades, tail rotor blades, landing gear, and
those resulting from hail or bird strikes (including holes in the aerodrome); or
(c)
the aircraft is missing or is completely inaccessible;
"aerial work"
means any purpose, other than public transport, for which an aircraft is flown if hire or reward is given or promised in respect of the flight or the purpose of the flight;
"aerodrome"
means any definite and limited ground or water area (including any building, installation and equipment) used or intended to be used, either wholly or in part, for the arrival or departure or surface movement of aircraft; "Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP)" means a publication issued by or with the authority of the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority and containing aeronautical information of a lasting character essential to air navigation;
"aircraft"
means any machine that can derive support in the atmosphere from the reactions of the air, other than the reactions of the air against the earth's surface;
"Air Traffic Control (ATC) "
means variously, flight information service, alerting service, air traffic advisory service, air traffic control service, area control service, approach control service or aerodrome control service;
"appropriate authority"
means the authority having jurisdiction over the area in which the aircraft concerned is operated;
"approved person or organisation "
means a person or organisation having appropriate expertise in the design, construction or operation of a UAS, or appropriate knowledge of airspace designations and restrictions, and who has been approved by the authority to perform a specified function;
"authority"
means the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority established by section
3
of the Act;
"autonomous aircraft"
means an unmanned aircraft that does not allow pilot intervention in the management of the flight;
"autonomous operation"
means an operation during which a UAS is operating without pilot intervention in the management of the flight;
"basic operation "
means an operation involving a category A UAS in which the risks involved to the public, property and manned aviation is low and which is performed under the conditions specified in Part I of Schedule 2 to these Regulations;
"command and control (C2) link"
means the data link between an unmanned aircraft and a remote pilot station or control station that is used in the management of a flight;
"complex operation "
means an operation involving a category C UAS in which the risks involved to the public, property and manned aviation is high and is performed under conditions specified in Part III of Schedule 2 to these Regulations;
"continuing airworthiness"
means the set of processes by which an aircraft, engine, propeller or part complies with the applicable airworthiness requirements and remains in condition for safe operation throughout its operating life;
"controlled airspace"
means an airspace of defined dimensions within which air traffic control service is provided in accordance with the airspace classification;
"currency point"
has the value assigned to it in Schedule 1 to these Regulations;
"dangerous goods"
means articles or substances which are capable of posing a hazard to health, safety, property or the environment and which are shown in the list of dangerous goods in the Civil Aviation (Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air) Regulations, 2022;
"detect and avoid (DAA)"
means the capability to see, sense or detect conflicting traffic or other hazards and take appropriate action;
"first-person view device"
means a device that generates and transmits a streaming video image to a control station display or monitor that gives the pilot of an unmanned aircraft the illusion of flying the aircraft from an on-board pilot's perspective;
"flight termination system"
means a system that when activated, terminates the flight of an unmanned aircraft;
"handover"
means the act of passing piloting control from one remote pilot station to another;
"incident"
means an occurrence, other than an accident, associated with the operation of an aircraft which affects or could affect the safety of operation;
"maintenance"
means the performance of tasks required to ensure the continuing airworthiness of an aircraft, including any one or combination of overhaul, inspection, replacement, defect rectification and the embodiment of a modification or repair;
"National Aviation Security Committee (NASC)"
means the Committee established under the Civil Aviation (Security) Regulations, 2022;
"Notice to Airmen, (NOTAM)"
means a notice distributed by means of telecommunication containing information concerning the establishment, condition or change in any aeronautical facility, service, procedure or hazard, the timely knowledge of which is essential to personnel concerned with flight operations;
"operational control"
means the exercise of authority over the initiation, continuation, diversion or termination of a flight in the interest of the safety of the aircraft and the regularity and efficiency of the flight;
"operations manual"
means a manual containing procedures, instructions and guidance for use by operational personnel in the execution of their duties;
"operations specifications"
means the authorisations, conditions and limitations associated with the UAS operator certificate and subject to the conditions in the operations manual;
"operator"
means a person, organisation or enterprise engaged in or offering to engage in UAS operation;
"owner"
means a person in whose name a UAS is registered or licensed, any person who is or has been acting as an agent in Uganda or any person by whom the UAS is hired at the time;
"prohibited area"
means an airspace of defined dimensions, within which the flight of aircraft is prohibited;
"remote pilot"
means a person charged by the operator with duties essential to the operation of an UAS and who manipulates the flight controls, as appropriate, during flight time; "remote pilot-in-command" means the remote pilot designated by the operator as being in command and charged with the safe conduct of a flight;
"remote pilot station"
means the component of the UAS containing the equipment used to pilot the UAS;
"safety"
means the state in which risks associated with aviation activities, related to, or in direct support of the operation of aircraft, are reduced and controlled to an acceptable level;
"safety management system (SMS)"
means a systematic approach to managing safety, including the necessary organisational structures, accountability, responsibilities, policies and procedures;
"segregated airspace"
means an airspace of specified dimensions allocated for exclusive use to a specific user;
"standard operation"
means an operation involving category B UAS in which the risks involved to the public, property and manned aviation is medium and is performed under the conditions specified in Part II of Schedule 2 to these Regulations;
"UAS Operator Certificate (UOC)"
means a certificate authorising an operator to carry out specified UAS operations issued by the authority under these Regulations;
"Unmanned Aircraft (UA)"
means an aircraft that is intended to be operated with no pilot on board;
"Unmanned Aircraft observer"
means a trained and competent person designated by the operator who, by visual observation of the unmanned aircraft, assists the remote pilot in the safe conduct of the flight;
"Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS)"
means an unmanned aircraft and its associated components;
"Visual Line-of-Sight (VLoS) operation"
means an operation in which the pilot or UA observer maintains direct unaided visual contact with the unmanned aircraft;
"Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC)"
means meteorological conditions expressed in terms of visibility, distance from cloud, and ceiling, equal to or better than specified minima.