Oral Reply by Senior Minister of State for Transport Dr Lam Pin Min to Parliamentary Questions on Counter-UAS Measures

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling asked the Minister for Transport

a.     in the past two years, how many incidences of unauthorised drones have occurred;

b.     whether the offenders were found and, if so, what consequences did they face; and

c.     whether there are plans to enforce a larger no-fly zone around major transport nodes such as the airports.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Transport whether he can provide an update on the investigation of the recent incidents of flight delays at Changi Airport due to the presence of illegal drones and what further measures will be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked the Minister for Transport what are the measures put in place to ensure the prompt removal of drones that have intruded into restricted areas and their identification.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan asked the Minister for Transport whether the Ministry has ascertained the persons responsible for the flying of the unauthorised drones which resulted in flight delays and the shutting of a runway at Changi Airport on 18 June 2019 and what are the actions to be taken to prevent similar delays in the future.

Mr Dennis Tan Lip Fong asked the Minister for Transport with regard to the disruptions to flight operations at Changi Airport arising from unauthorised drones on 18, 19 and 24 June 2019

a.     whether the Government has identified the drones in question, the identity of their owners or operators and the reasons for their operation at the material time; and

b.     what are the Government's plans to prevent or minimise further disruptions to airport operations from drone operations especially by unregistered or unidentified owners or operators.

Mr Desmond Choo asked the Minister for Transport in view of the latest incident involving unauthorised drones adversely affecting the operation of Changi Airport

a.     whether the Ministry has completed its investigation into the incident; and

b.     what are the measures taken to prevent future incidents.

Mr Ang Wei Neng asked the Minister for Transport how many drones have been detected in the recent two incidents involving unauthorised drones near Changi Airport and what is the outcome of the investigation thus far.

Reply by Senior Minister of State for Transport Dr Lam Pin Min:

1.     The recent drone intrusions are the first confirmed intrusions into Changi Airport that we have encountered. They disrupted airport operations and led to 55 flights delays and 8 diversions over two nights on 18 and 24 June 2019. Although the impact of the recent drone intrusions has been moderate, these intrusions can have severe impact on airport operations. At Gatwick Airport for example, drone intrusions shut down the entire airport for three days, affecting approximately 1,000 flights.

2.     The Police investigations into the drone intrusions are ongoing. We have learnt from the experiences of other airports that identifying the perpetrators can be challenging and will take time.

3.     Meanwhile, our priority is to detect the drones promptly and prevent them from affecting air traffic and endangering public safety. We have taken a multi-agency approach and deployed national resources towards ensuring the safety of Changi Airport operations.

4.     The drone intrusions have caused some to suggest that we should ban the use of drones. There are many beneficial uses of drones. Besides commercial applications, such as drone deliveries and inspections, there are also many recreational users in Singapore. Our schools and Institutions of Higher Learning use drones to teach Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM), including robotics and programming. It is therefore important that we continue to take a balanced approach.

5.     By and large, the community of drone enthusiasts fly their drones responsibly, and are sensitive to the needs and concerns of other users that they share public space with in our crowded urban environment. Our laws governing the use of drones prohibit its use within 5 km of an aerodrome, unless a permit has been granted by CAAS. We assessed this no fly zone parameter to be sufficient.

6.     However, there will be a few selfish and irresponsible persons who operate in flagrant disregard of the law, as well as the needs and concerns of others. We will therefore tighten the approach to regulating drone uses and dealing with errant drone users through the following measures.

7.     First, we will introduce a mandatory registration regime for all drones operating in Singapore as well as a licensing framework for pilots of large and more capable drones. This will ensure that drone operators are adequately briefed on their responsibilities and that their activities are conducted in a responsible manner.

8.     Second, there will be stricter enforcement actions against errant drone operators. Last week, two persons who operated a drone close to an aerodrome were charged. This morning, a company pleaded guilty to a charge of operating a drone without a permit. The company was fined $9,000. Further, there is one other case being prosecuted and another being investigated for breaching the existing drone regulations. If convicted, they could face fines of up to $20,000. In conjunction with this, the government is also looking into increasing the penalties for errant drone uses.

9.     As with other forms of disruptive innovation, finding the right balance in terms of regulations will take time, particularly since drone technology continues to evolve quickly. This is why CAAS established the UAS Advisory Panel earlier this year to help review and recommend enhancements to the regulatory framework.

10.    Meanwhile, we have strengthened our counter-drone capabilities at the airport. We stand ready to invest in additional capabilities if necessary.