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Saturday, Feb 22, 2025
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Drone pilots urged to register before grace period expires month end
Secretary for Transport and Logistics Lam Sai-hung reminded the public that the grace period for the Small Unmanned Aircraft Order will cease at the end of November, at which point operators of drones weighing more than 250g must have registered with the Civil Aviation Department.
Lam's blog published Saturday stressed that even if the operators have their registrations, it doesn't mean they can fly their drones recklessly.
The Small Unmanned Aircraft Order has been in place since June 1, under which only category A1 drones weighing less than 250g, including Autel EVO Nano and DJI Mini drones, will be exempted from registrations.
Those flying drones that weigh 7kg or more must obtain the Advanced Rating qualification and flight approval from the department, as it is much riskier and requires complex control.
Since the Order came into effect five months ago, over 16,000 pilots have registered at the Electronic Portal for Small Unmanned Aircraft (eSUA), Lam added.
Offenders could face a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment and a HK$100,000 fine, Lam warned.
He further pointed out that, unless they are flying within an enclosed range or got prior permission from the Civil Aviation Department, they should check the drone map at the eSUA beforehand to get the latest information regarding the Restricted Flying Zones and other safety information.
The Small Unmanned Aircraft Order has been in place since June 1, under which only category A1 drones weighing less than 250g, including Autel EVO Nano and DJI Mini drones, will be exempted from registrations.
Those flying drones that weigh 7kg or more must obtain the Advanced Rating qualification and flight approval from the department, as it is much riskier and requires complex control.
Since the Order came into effect five months ago, over 16,000 pilots have registered at the Electronic Portal for Small Unmanned Aircraft (eSUA), Lam added.
Offenders could face a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment and a HK$100,000 fine, Lam warned.
He further pointed out that, unless they are flying within an enclosed range or got prior permission from the Civil Aviation Department, they should check the drone map at the eSUA beforehand to get the latest information regarding the Restricted Flying Zones and other safety information.
