1M DRONE LICENSING thread
I'm seated contemplating on what next steps will be because in as much as I'm an optimistic person, there comes a time where you just throw the towel away. The cost of doing business and the perception of art industry is very wanting. (1/1)
I'm seated contemplating on what next steps will be because in as much as I'm an optimistic person, there comes a time where you just throw the towel away. The cost of doing business and the perception of art industry is very wanting. (1/1)
Middle this year, I attended a session organised by Karakana Online and Photographer Association of Kenya about the future of drones, I've been hiring drones for my services but wanted to invest in one.
The panel of the session recommended drone owners to invest by becoming a certified drone pilot by KCAA which would cost about Ksh. 50,000. The course would make one familiar with air space coordinations as well planning flights with air traffic controller to avoid accidents.
Fast forward on 7th November 2019, KCAA announced prohibits use of drones, without even involving stakeholders like Kenyan filmmakers as well as Kenyan photographers. To get a licence you have to pay Ksh. 1 million which is ridiculous.
That leads to my current state of thinking, do we understand creative industry as a business? My argument, an average shop in town pays licences to Nairobi County about Ksh. 15,000 to Ksh. 45,000 depending on the size of the entity, add other licences adds up Ksh. 100k per year
Now, let's analyse a professional photographer case, he pays the above rates and beyond that he pays about ksh. 11,000 for licences to shoot on the streets of Nairobi per day.
If the co. was to shoot an average of 1 shoot per week, that's an extra Ksh. 40,000 monthly license to Nairobi County which is Ksh. 480,000 per year. Add the new drones licence of Ksh. 1 million per year. The total of running a photography business per year is almost Ksh. 1.6 m.
If we would be fair to ask ourselves, how many regular businesses pays Ksh. 1.6 million in licenses? The creative industry is heavily licensed, my take:
1. Why not have one yearly license that allows creatives to shoot just like any other businesses? Imagine a restaurant being charged for every food plate they make.
2. How can a license costs ten times the value of the equipment? To put to perspective is like buying a car worth Ksh. 1 million and being charged Ksh.10 million for licensing, that's completely unreasonable.
3. Who are the policy makers in this country, do they have touch to the users and business professionals who use such equipments?
4. Now that the licences are confirmed, how many youths who solely rely on creative industry go?
4. Now that the licences are confirmed, how many youths who solely rely on creative industry go?
Are we slowly killing creative industry that employs many youths through policy? It's time to have this conversation, it may not touch your profession, but it might touch someone you love, your brother, cousin, neighbour or sister.
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