SINGAPORE: Two men were charged on Friday (Jul 5) over flying drones without a permit near an airbase in what is the first prosecution of its kind in Singapore.
Ed Chen Junyuan, 37, is accused of operating a 0.357kg DBPOWER FPV drone at an open field at around 9pm on Jun 26 this year near Block 128C Punggol Field.
AdvertisementAdvertisement[h=3]READ: Do's and don'ts of flying a drone[/h]The area is within 5km of Paya Lebar Air Base. Chen was allegedly flying the drone for recreation, but did not possess a valid Class 2 activity permit for flying the craft.
He was charged with one count under the Air Navigation Order of flying a small unmanned aircraft without a permit.
[h=3]READ: Bad weather, unauthorised drones cause more flight delays and diversions at Changi Airport[/h] AdvertisementAdvertisementChen's friend, 40-year-old Tay Miow Seng, is accused of flying a 0.43kg Bumblebee wrapped DJI drone at around the same time and at the same place as Chen.
Tay is also accused of not having a valid Class 2 activity permit for flying the drone at the time.
The men, who are represented by lawyer Josephus Tan from Invictus Law Corporation, face a maximum fine of S$20,000 for the offence if found guilty. They will return to court on Aug 2.
The men are the first individuals to be charged with this particular offence.
In May, a company was charged with flying a drone without a permit.
The Singapore branch of civil engineering company LT Sambo Co was accused of flying a drone along Marine Parade Road without a permit.
LT Sambo is set to plead guilty next Monday.
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