Koko wants drone operations regulated

MANILA, Philippines — A measure that would regulate ownership and operation of drones by private persons is being pushed by Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III as the gadgets may be used to violate rights, exploited by terrorists or pose a hazard to aircraft.

Pimentel filed Senate Bill 2526, an act regulating the ownership and operation of drones by private persons.

“Over the last two decades, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles or ‘drones’ has proliferated in various sectors of society. Drones are used for amateur photography, to increase crop production and to conduct surveillance for military and law enforcement agencies,” Pimentel added.

“With this ubiquity comes the need for regulation. The same drones that are used for recreational and commercial purposes may be used to violate rights, or are exploited by terrorists, or pose a hazard to aircraft,” he added in his explanatory note.

The Senate defined “drone” as an unmanned aerial vehicle or remotely piloted aircraft, or any component of an unmanned aerial system or remotely piloted aircraft system, that has no pilot and is controlled by an operator on the ground.

He noted that failure to register a drone and its owner shall result in the confiscation of the drone by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, which is authorized to classify drones into types for regulation.

The measure also proposes a fine of not less than P50,000 but not more than P100,000.