Safety is the main criterion for the correct approach to any matter. At the same time, the very concept of safety is noticeably changing and improving due to the emergence of new threats.

As part of the program to counter air threats in the Republic of Belarus, the prosecutor’s office is working to ensure state registration and operation of civilian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

For more than a year, Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus No. 297 of September 25, 2023 “On state registration and operation of civilian unmanned aerial vehicles” has been in effect.

The Prosecutor’s Office draws attention to the fact that, by virtue of subparagraph 1.2 of paragraph 1 of Decree No. 297, the import into the territory of the Republic of Belarus, storage, circulation, operation and manufacture of civilian unmanned aerial vehicles, and the use of airspace by means of aircraft of the designated category by legal entities and individual entrepreneurs are carried out for the purposes of their entrepreneurial and professional activities in compliance with the requirements established by this Decree.

In accordance with subparagraph 1.6 of paragraph 1 of Decree No. 297, legal entities and individual entrepreneurs who legally own, use and (or) dispose of civilian UAVs are required to register them with the state within five working days from the date of entry into force of this subparagraph for civilian UAVs owned by legal entities and individual entrepreneurs on the date of entry into force of this subparagraph.

State registration of civil UAVs in accordance with subparagraph 1.7 of paragraph 1 of Decree No. 297 is carried out by the Department of Aviation of the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

The provisions of Decree No. 297 concerning state registration of civil UAVs entered into force on 28.12.2023.

The procedure for state registration of civil UAVs is regulated by the Regulation on state registration and operation of civil unmanned aerial vehicles, approved by Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus dated 28 December 2023 No. 972.

In accordance with subparagraph 1.9 of paragraph 1 of Decree No. 297, the operation of civil UAVs is carried out by an operator who has undergone training for civil UAV operators, the requirements for which are determined by the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus.

From March 28, 2024, individuals are prohibited from importing, storing, handling, operating and manufacturing civilian unmanned aerial vehicles and aircraft models into the territory of the Republic of Belarus, as well as using the airspace by civilian UAVs.

By virtue of the requirements of paragraph 3 of Decree No. 297, individuals who own civilian UAVs and aircraft models were required to alienate or transfer for storage to an authorized organization (Republican Unitary Enterprise for Air Navigation Services of Air Traffic “Belaeronavigatsia”) civilian UAVs and aircraft models within three months from the date of entry into force of this paragraph (i.e. before March 28, 2024).

Based on Article 7 of the Air Code of the Republic of Belarus, persons guilty of violating the legislation of the Republic of Belarus in the field of use of airspace and aviation are liable in accordance with the law.

The Prosecutor’s Office warns that, according to Article 18.35 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Belarus, violation of the rules for the use of airspace or the use of aircraft models entails a fine of up to twenty basic units, and for a legal entity – up to fifty basic units. The same act, committed repeatedly within one year after the imposition of an administrative penalty for the same violation, entails a fine of ten to fifty basic units, and for a legal entity – from twenty to one hundred basic units.

At the legislative level, the issue of tightening liability for violations in this area is being considered, up to the establishment of criminal liability, the use of confiscation of the aircraft as the subject of the offense. A corresponding decision is expected in the near future.

Thus, owners and users of civilian UAVs, both legal entities and individuals, must be law-abiding and immediately comply with the requirements of Decree No. 297 in order to avoid various kinds of trouble.

We would also like to warn citizens against illegal flights on paragliders, hang gliders and other similar aircraft.

In 2024, 2 such flights ended tragically in the Gomel region.

Thus, on 10.04.2024 at about 16:00, while operating an aircraft near the village of Kalinino in the Gomel region, a paraglider fell and was seriously injured.

Near the agro-town of Chirkovichi in the Svetlogorsk region on 29.08.2024 at about 19.20, a homemade motor hang glider crashed with the death of a person on board.

Both flights were made without a formal application for use of airspace, that is, they were illegal. Safety