JamboPay, which provides online parking fee payment services has written to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority, seeking permission to import two drones/CFM NEWS
NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 11 – Drones are set to be introduced in Nairobi to monitor the payment of parking fees to the County Government.
JamboPay, the company that provides online parking fee payment services for the County Government has written to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) seeking permission to import the drones with cameras to help enforce the revenue collection.
JamboPay Chief Executive Officer Danson Muchemi stated that they have developed an aerial imagery compliance data-gathering module that will deploy a drone to collect parking compliance data.
“We hereby request your approval of our importation and operation of two commercial drones,” the letter states.
He explained that two drones will fly across parking areas in the city twice a day capturing and relaying data to their servers.
“The information will then be relayed to the county parking department for appropriate enforcement measures, which include clamping of vehicles whose owners have defaulted,” he stated.
Lax enforcement has been partly blamed for the revenue losses in the parking department.
KCAA developed regulations for the importation and use of drones last year.
In the regulations, KCAA categorised drone use under sports, recreation and commercial activities.
The regulator capped the maximum height the drones can fly at 400 feet above the ground, with those seeking higher operating heights required to seek approvals.
The rules also ban the flying of the drones over security installations, close to aviation hubs or airports and at night.
Failure to adhere to the rules can attract a fine of Sh500,000 or a jail term of not more than three months.
Two weeks ago, Muchemi said the county loses Sh600,000 a day, translating into about Sh18 million per month in parking revenue through weak enforcement.
He said that at least 2,000 vehicle owners do not pay parking fees each day via eJijiPay, the established online system.
Last week, Nairobi Governor Sonko said cash payments will no longer be allowed at City Hall and all revenue streams will be automated.
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