CAAS lifts cap on the number of drones weighing above 250g a person or company can register

Note: This article was written by Isabelle Liew and first appeared in The Straits Times on 1 February 2025.

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, radio-controlled aircraft and remote-controlled kites, 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 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 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 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. CAAS told The Straits Times that the areas and timings will vary based on operational needs.

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

Currently, CAAS allows commercial UA operations up to 200ft above mean sea level on all days. Flights above 200ft 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 200ft and 400ft 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 waiting time for permits for such UA operations will be reduced from five to three working days, CAAS added.

All commercial UA operations above 400ft in the designated areas, or UA operations above 200ft 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.”

Mr Farhan Tahir, administrator of the Universal Drones Singapore Facebook hobby group – which has about 8,300 members – said he was glad that the authorities are lifting the restriction on the number of UA that can be registered.

“I personally have more than 30 UA. Building a custom drone has gotten easier and cheaper compared with when I first started 10 years ago,” he said, adding that he plans to register more drones that he intends to get after Feb 14.

Mr Benjamin Goh, head of training at Drone Element, a UA training and assessment organisation, welcomed the move to eliminate the need to e-mail CAAS to request increases in the company’s limit.

“This makes it easier for us to upgrade our fleet of drones,” he said. At present, the company has around 15 drones and intends to buy five more.

Mr Goh said the impending changes to airspace clearance are also a welcome move, as he typically has to wait for 30 minutes to get the green light from RSAF to start flying his drones.

“I could have completed one flight in the time I’m waiting,” he added.

Our articles may contain affiliate links. If you buy through these links, we may earn a small commission.