Adults looking to fly drones above 1.5 kilograms will have to go through training and pass an examination to get licensed from February 2021 onwards.
Failure to do so will result in hefty punishments.
Those who fly drones without the appropriate licences can be jailed up to two years, fined up to $50,000, or both for the first offence.
Subsequent breaches can lead to jail terms of up to five years, fines of up to $100,000 or both.
Two Different Certificates
According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), there will be two different certificates — an unmanned aircraft basic training certificate and an unmanned aircraft pilot licence.
Users who operate drones with a total weight of more than 1.5 kilograms and not exceeding seven kilograms, are required to undergo a one-time Unmanned Aircraft (UA) Basic Training
The UA Basic Training will provide users with relevant theoretical knowledge on how to operate their UA safely.
The training will be conducted by CAAS-approved UA Basic Training organisations and will take two hours to complete.
The cost of the UA Basic Training certificate will be determined by the service providers and the list of approved training organisations.
Users who operate a drone with a total weight exceeding seven kilograms for either recreational or educational purposes have to obtain a UA Pilot Licence.
The same can be said for drone operators flying drones for commercial reasons, regardless of the weight of the drone.
To qualify for the application of the UA Pilot Licence, users have to pass a theory test administered by CAAS at the Singapore Aviation Academy.
There will also be a practical assessment conducted by an Authorised Flight Examiner within a UA training and assessment organisation.
The licence will set drone fliers back by S$625, with S$125 for the theory exam and S$500 for the licence.
Currently, all drones above 250g must be registered with the CAAS before they can be flown here, and only those 16 and above can apply for the licences.
Featured Image Credit: GovInsider
