The Police will be charging a 42-year-old male Singaporean on 30 December 2020 for alleged offences under the Air Navigation Act.
The Police received a report on 5 April 2020 regarding the sighting of an unmanned aircraft (UA) in the vicinity of Woodlands Checkpoint. Through follow-up investigations, officers from Woodlands Police Division established the identity of the man who had operated the UA. Investigations revealed that the man had allegedly operated the UA in the vicinity of Woodlands Checkpoint at an altitude exceeding 200 feet above mean sea level (AMSL) without a permit and had taken aerial view photographs of the Woodlands Checkpoint, which is a protected area, on three separate occasions on 20 March 2020, 3 April 2020 and 5 April 2020. In addition, the man had allegedly operated a UA at an altitude exceeding 200 feet AMSL without a permit at Mount Pleasant Road on 27 February 2020.
For taking photographs showing the aerial view of Woodlands Checkpoint on three separate occasions, the man will be charged with three counts of prohibited photography of a protected area using a UA punishable under Section 7(2A)(a) of the Air Navigation Act. For operating his UA at an altitude above 200 feet on four separate occasions, the man will be charged with four counts of failure to obtain a permit to operate a UA, punishable under Section 4(3A) of the Air Navigation Act.
Anyone convicted of the offence of prohibited photography over protected areas using a UA punishable under Section 7(2A)(a) of the Air Navigation Act, or operating a UA over a protected area punishable under Section 7A(2A) of the Air Navigation Act, will be liable to a fine of up to $50,000 or to an imprisonment term of up to two years, or both. Each offence of operating a UA without a permit under Regulation 8(1) of the Air Navigation (101 — Unmanned Aircraft Operations) Regulations read with Section 4(3) of the Air Navigation Act and punishable under Section 4(3A) of the Air Navigation Act carries a fine not exceeding $50,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or both.
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, especially during the year-end festive celebrations. 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. Effective 1 February 2021, certain UA users will also need to obtain an unmanned aircraft basic training certificate (UABTC) or unmanned aircraft pilot licence (UAPL) before they operate their UA in Singapore. Such a user who does not obtain a UABTC or a UAPL as required is liable upon conviction to a fine $50,000 or to an imprisonment term 2 years, or both, for the first offence, and to a fine not exceeding $100,000 or an imprisonment term not exceeding 5 years or both for a second or subsequent offence. Any person who does not produce a UABTC, UAPL, operator permit or activity permit during a verification check by a Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore enforcement officer is liable upon conviction to a fine not exceeding $20,000 for the first offence, or to a fine not exceeding $40,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 15 months or both for a second or subsequent offence. Members of the public who witness any unauthorised UA activity are advised to report their observations to the Police.
[1] UA users are advised to refer to www.caas.gov.sg/public-passengers/unmanned-aircraft/ua-regulatory-requirements to ensure that they have fulfilled the relevant regulatory requirements before they operate their UA.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
29 December 2020 @ 2:00 PM