Regulations on unmanned aircraft to be relaxed to support industry development

The limit on the number of unmanned aircraft (UA) weighing above 250g that each person or company can register in Singapore will be lifted from Feb 14 in an effort to support the development of the UA industry.

Airspace clearance will also be simplified and companies will be allowed to fly their UA at a greater height on all days of the week.

These three moves were announced by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) on Jan 31.

It said the removal of the registration limit will further support beneficial UA use and industry development, without compromising public and aviation safety and security.

“It will particularly benefit commercial UA operators and UA enthusiasts who tend to own more UA and are now able to do so without the need to seek special approvals from CAAS,” it added.

The registration framework, which requires any UA weighing more than 250g to be registered before it can be operated in Singapore, was introduced in January 2020 to manage the risks that come with UA operations.

Singapore citizens and permanent residents can register up to five UA, such as drones, while non-citizens and non-residents can register one UA. Those who wish to register more UA have to seek approval from CAAS.

In 2024, 2,305 users registered their UA with the authority.

Of these users, 80 per cent registered one UA, 11 per cent registered two, 3 per cent registered three, 2 per cent registered four and 1 per cent registered five.

The remaining 3 per cent registered more than five UA.

CAAS said those who registered more UA tend to be operators who use them to provide commercial services, or UA enthusiasts who build and design their UA.

UA weighing 250g and below do not need to be registered with the CAAS.

CAAS previously announced that from Dec 1, 2025, UA weighing more than 250g must have “digital licence plates”, known as Broadcast Remote Identification. This is to allow UA operators to monitor their UA flights to ensure they are within permitted areas and prevent unintentional breaches into non-permitted zones.

The authority also rolled out a centralised flight management system in 2022 to monitor UA activities carried out by permit holders in real time.

On Jan 31, CAAS said that permit holders will be able to seek airspace clearance digitally through a new feature in the Centralised Flight Management System mobile app FlyItSafe. This will take effect from Feb 14.

It means that operator permit holders will not need to call CAAS or the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) at the start and end of the UA operations.

Operator permit holders can also get immediate clearance for certain areas, depending on operational height and location - and at certain times, which have already been identified and cleared by CAAS and RSAF.

From Feb 14, companies will be able to operate UA up to 400 ft above mean sea level on all days, in designated areas.

Currently, CAAS allows commercial UA operations up to 200 ft above mean sea level on all days. Flights above 200 ft are allowed only on weekends to better manage competing airspace use on weekdays.

About 25 per cent of UA operation applications in 2024 were for operations between 200 ft and 400 ft above mean sea level, CAAS said.

The authority conducted a review with the RSAF in response to industry feedback, and relaxed the restriction in designated areas that are generally more than 6km away from aerodromes, where such activities can be conducted safely without affecting manned aircraft operations.

The approval time for permits for such UA operations will be reduced from five to three working days, CAAS added.

All commercial UA operations above 400 ft above mean sea level in the designated areas, or UA operations above 200 ft outside the designated areas, will continue to be allowed only on weekends, upon permit approval.

Mr Han Kok Juan, director-general of CAAS, said the regulator is committed to updating its rules to ensure they stay relevant and in line with technological advancements, without compromising safety and security.

“These latest enhancements will increase the flexibility and efficiency of UA operations and provide a further boost to industry development.”