Unlicensed drone pilots in Thailand could spend a year in jail under new law

Thailand’s transport ministry next month will implement new regulations prohibiting the unlicensed use of aerial drones, according to Thai PBS.

The ministry says the drones are a threat to aviation safety, national security, and privacy. While "drone" can have many meanings, in this case it refers to any unmanned aerial vehicle, primarily multi-rotor helicopters.

The country’s air chief marshal Prajin Juntong says the new regulation is being drawn up by the Civil Aviation Department under the Air Navigation Act and will be submitted to the cabinet for approval before going into affect.

Personal drones will more or less be banned outright due to their interference with other aircraft and capability of carrying cameras that can infringe on people’s privacy.

Those using drones for sports, education, and research will be allowed to apply for a permit, but must still meet a list of criteria. A drone’s weight, size, and power consumption must meet certain requirements under the new law. They also cannot be flown for more than one hour at a time and must stay between 15 and 150 meters. Commercial planes fly at over 300 meters, and drones flying too high could interfere with their systems. Flying a drone so low that it disturbs residential areas is also against the rules.

Breaking the law could land the pilot a year in prison and a fine of up to 40,000 baht (US$1,230).

The growing popularity of quadcopter drones has brought the devices under scrutiny in many countries, and lawmakers are scrambling to figure out the best way to handle them. The Teal Group projects spending on unmanned aerial vehicles will double from US$2.8 billion in 2014 to US$5.6 billion in 2023.

See: Meet the world’s easiest-to-fly drone. Now it needs people to fly it.

(Source: Thai PBS)