Air Navigation (101 — Unmanned Aircraft Operations) (Amendment) Regulations 2023

No. S 747

Air Navigation Act 1966

Air Navigation
(101 — Unmanned Aircraft Operations)
(Amendment) Regulations 2023

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 9 of the Air Navigation Act 1966, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, with the approval of the Minister for Transport, makes the following Regulations:

Citation and commencement

1. These Regulations are the Air Navigation (101 — Unmanned Aircraft Operations) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 and come into operation on 21 November 2023.

Amendment of regulation 3

2. In the Air Navigation (101 — Unmanned Aircraft Operations) Regulations 2019 (G.N. No. S 833/2019) (called in these Regulations the principal Regulations), in regulation 3 —

(a)	replace “or an activity permit” with “, an activity permit or a UA cross‑border permit”; and
(b)	in paragraph (a), after “outside of Singapore”, insert “, unless it is for the purpose of flying or causing the flight of the unmanned aircraft into or out of Singapore”.

Amendment of regulation 4

3. In the principal Regulations, in regulation 4(4), replace “and an activity permit” with “, an activity permit and a UA cross‑border permit”.

New regulation 9A

4. In the principal Regulations, after regulation 9, insert —

“Operation of unmanned aircraft into or out of Singapore

9A. In addition to regulations 7, 8 and 9, a person (whether in Singapore or elsewhere) must not operate an unmanned aircraft of any total mass for the purpose of flying or causing the flight of the unmanned aircraft into or out of Singapore except under the authority of and in accordance with a UA cross‑border permit that is in force and that authorises the person to operate that unmanned aircraft for that purpose.”.

Amendment of regulation 10

5. In the principal Regulations, in regulation 10(1), replace “or 9” with “, 9 or 9A”.

New Division 4A of Part 2

6. In the principal Regulations, in Part 2, after Division 4, insert —

“Division 4A — UA cross‑border permit

Application for UA cross‑border permit

18A.—(1) An application for a UA cross‑border permit must be made to the Authority in accordance with this regulation.

(2) An application for a UA cross‑border permit relating to an unmanned aircraft must —

(a)

be made by the operator of the unmanned aircraft;

(b)

be made in writing;

(c)

be accompanied by the relevant fee specified in the Second Schedule; and

(d)

be accompanied by the following information:

(i)	the identity and contact address of the applicant and the UA pilot flying the unmanned aircraft;
(ii)	the type of unmanned aircraft to be operated;
(iii)	the purpose for which the unmanned aircraft in the application is to be operated and the nature of the operations;
(iv)	any other information that the Authority may require to decide on the application.

(3) The Authority may refuse to consider an application for a UA cross‑border permit that is —

(a)	incomplete; or
(b)	not made in accordance with paragraph (2).

Grant of UA cross‑border permit

18B.—(1) After considering an application for a UA cross‑border permit, the Authority may —

(a)	grant the applicant a UA cross‑border permit; or
(b)	refuse to grant the UA cross‑border permit.

(2) For the purposes of section 15(2)(a) of the Act, in deciding whether an applicant should be granted a UA cross‑border permit and the conditions to impose or modify, the Authority must be satisfied that the risk to the safety of air navigation and to public safety, from the grant of the UA cross‑border permit to the applicant, is and has been adequately addressed.

(3) The conditions that may be imposed on a UA cross‑border permit include requiring the holder of a UA cross‑border permit —

(a)	to ensure the safe operation of the unmanned aircraft specified in the permit whenever it is flown or caused to be flown into or out of Singapore; and
(b)	to adhere to any document issued by the Authority providing practical guidance on the safe operation of unmanned aircraft.

(4) A UA cross-border permit for an unmanned aircraft is valid only for the period specified in the permit.

Production of UA cross‑border permit

18C.—(1) A person in Singapore operating an unmanned aircraft for the purpose of flying or causing the flight of the unmanned aircraft into or out of Singapore must, on being required by an authorised person, produce the UA cross‑border permit for flying the unmanned aircraft so as to enable the authorised person to ascertain the identity of the operator, the validity of the UA cross‑border permit, and whether the operator is authorised to operate the unmanned aircraft.

(2) A person who, without reasonable excuse, contravenes paragraph (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction —

(a)	for a first offence, to a fine not exceeding $20,000; and
(b)	for a second or subsequent offence, to a fine not exceeding $40,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 15 months or to both.”.

Amendment of First Schedule

7. In the principal Regulations, in the First Schedule, after the definition of “UA basic training certificate”, insert —

“ “UA cross‑border permit” means an aviation safety instrument granted by the Authority under regulation 18B, which authorises the holder of the permit to operate an unmanned aircraft stated in the permit for the purpose of flying or causing the flight of the unmanned aircraft into or out of Singapore.”.

Amendment of Second Schedule

8. In the principal Regulations, in the Second Schedule —

(a)

in the Schedule reference, after “17,”, insert “18A(2),”;

(b)

in paragraph 1(b), replace “1 January 2024” with “15 January 2024”; and

(c)

after paragraph 5, insert —

“UA cross‑border permit

5A. The fee for an application for the grant of a UA cross‑border permit is $8,100.”.

[G.N. Nos. S 371/2020; S 865/2021; S 148/2022; S 956/2022]

Made on 27 July 2023.

EDMUND CHENG WAI WING

Chairperson,
Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore.

[LE/LGN/A1.8; AG/LEGIS/SL/6/2020/15 Vol. 1]

(To be presented to Parliament under section 9(9) of the Air Navigation Act 1966).

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