A 42-year-old Singaporean man will be charged by the police on Dec. 30 for alleged offences under the Air Navigation Act.

According to a release from the police on Dec. 29, they investigated the sighting of an unmanned aircraft (UA) in the vicinity of Woodlands Checkpoint on April 5.

Officers from the Woodland Police Division then established the identity of the man who operated the UA.

He had allegedly done so on three separate occasions without a permit, on March 20, April 3 and April 5.

On all three occasions, the UA had allegedly exceeded the altitude of 200 feet (~60m) above sea level.

The man also allegedly operated the UA at 200 feet above sea level without a permit at Mount Pleasant Road on Feb. 27.

Adhere to regulations when operating UAs

According to the police:

"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."

And:

"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."

The punishment for each offence carries a fine of up to S$50,000, imprisonment of up to two years, or both. It added:

"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."

Users are advised to check out the OneMap.sg website or the app to check the areas of Singapore where flying the UA is not permitted, unless a permit is obtained.

Starting on Feb 1, 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, or risk fines and jail terms.

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