The Police will be charging a 68-year-old male Singaporean on 23 July 2021 for alleged offences under the Air Navigation Act.
The Police received a report on 31 Jan 2021 regarding the sighting of an unmanned aircraft (UA) in the vicinity of Special Operations Command near Mei Chin Road. Through follow-up investigations, officers from Clementi Police Division established the identity of the man who had operated the UA. Investigations also revealed that the man had allegedly operated the UA in the vicinity of Special Operations Command at an altitude exceeding 200 feet above mean sea level (AMSL) without a permit and was believed to have taken aerial view photographs and videos that captured a view of the Special Operation Command base, which is a protected area.
For taking such photographs, the man will be charged with one count of prohibited photography of a protected area using a UA under section 7(2) of the Air Navigation Act (ANA). For operating his UA at an altitude above 200 feet, the man will be charged with one count of operating a UA without a Class 2 activity permit, under regulation 8(1) of the Air Navigation (101 — Unmanned Aircraft Operations) Regulations (ANR-101).
A person who is guilty of an offence under section 7(2) of the ANA is liable on conviction to a fine of up to $50,000 or to an imprisonment term of up to two years, or both. A person who is guilty of an offence under regulation 8(1) of the ANR-101 is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $50,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or both, under section 4(3A) of the ANA.
The Police will not condone the flying of a UA in an unsafe and irresponsible manner, as it poses a risk to aviation and public safety and security. Members of the public are advised to adhere to regulations on the flying of UAs. UA users should refer to the OneMap.sg website or use the OneMap app to check the areas where the flying of a UA is not allowed unless a permit[1] has been obtained. Any UA with a total mass of above 250g must be registered before it can be operated in Singapore. With effect from 1 February 2021, certain UA users must obtain an unmanned aircraft basic training certificate (UABTC) or unmanned aircraft pilot licence (UAPL) before operating UA in Singapore.
A user who does not obtain a UABTC or a UAPL as required, is liable upon conviction for the first offence, to a fine not exceeding $50,000, an imprisonment term not exceeding 2 years, or both. For the second or subsequent offence, they are liable to a fine not exceeding $100,000, an imprisonment term not exceeding 5 years, or both.
Any person who does not produce a UABTC, UAPL, operator permit or activity permit during a verification check by an enforcement officer is liable upon conviction for the first offence, to a fine not exceeding $20,000. For the second or subsequent offence, they are liable to a fine not exceeding $40,000, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 15 months, or both. Members of the public who witness any unauthorised UA activity are advised to report their observations to the Police.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
22 July 2021 @ 10:30 PM