Inner city car chases captured by amateur filmmakers using drones will be a thing of the past. This after the SA Civil Aviation Authority yesterday announced that new regulations would prohibit the flying of drones within 50m of buildings or people but industry experts are critical."You will not be able to capture the drama in the shots," said FC Hamman a drone filmmaker."We definitely need regulation because we all want to fly safely but they must be workable in the context of what we do."Aviation authority's Subash Devkaran said the 50m stipulation addressed privacy concerns.The regulations, which come into effect in July, will require every drone user to get a letter of approval, valid for one year, to fly one. They must be over 18 to apply, must provide a medical certificate and need to pass a competency test which includes proficiency in radiotelephony and English.The cost of licensing will be similar to getting a private pilot's licence, about R150000."The most important thing in all this is the development and preservation of a safe and secure aviation industry, nothing else," said director at the aviation authority Poppy Khoza yesterday.But experts view this as a hindrance to the growth of the sector."It is actually stopping us from evolving and moving forward." said Easy UAV director Jacques Lourens.He said "over-regulation" limited drone applications and the aviation authority had not balanced the risks against potential benefits.Commercial Unmanned Aircraft Association president Hennie Kieser said that the aviation authority did not understand the technology well enough to regulate sensibly.He was critical of its decision to deny night flights that could combat crime such as rhino-poaching and cable theft."There is not a single ministerial portfolio that does not need this technology up in the air, as safe as possible with the least amount of red tape."Aerial Vision Africa CEO Dean Polley said it wa s more likely that you will be hit by a car than have a drone fall on your head.A photographer in America did, however, get the tip of her nose sliced off by a drone at a TGI Friday event last year.But forensic expert Stan Bezuidenhout said onerous regulation could drive people to act illegally.Flying a drone illegally could land you behind bars for 10 years, a fine of R50000 or both...