CAAM would like to remind drone operators that the rules still apply during MCO

In what I thought was an unexpected press release, the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) wishes to remind all UAS and drone operators that they are still required to comply with the rules and regulations when operating their craft during the Movement Control Order.

This is referring to Regulation 140-144 under the Malaysian Civil Aviation Regulations 2016 (MCAR 2016).

“All drone operators shall acquire an “authorisation” from CAAM before operating a drone even during this unfortunate period of the COVID-19 outbreak,” said CAAM.

“This regulation applies to ALL UAS/DRONE OPERATORS including surveillance, broadcasting, commercial, recreational and other activities.

“CAAM would like to stress that if UAS/drone operation is carried out without authorisation of CAAM, it may cause hazard to other airspace users and endanger public safety due to the nature of UAS/drone operations,” they added.

In case you’re unfamiliar with Regulation 140-144, you can check them out at this link. CAAM also states that application forms for authorisation to operate UAS/drones can be downloaded from the CAAM website.

When I saw this, I was curious about why they’d suddenly publish this reminder for regulation that was already in play since 2016. Perhaps it has something to do with the Royal Malaysian Police force’s deployment of drones in an effort to step up surveillance in COVID-19 hotspots.

This could be a reminder purely to make sure that the airspace is kept clear and safe during this trying period, and so we thought it would be pertinent for us to share this reminder.

Thanks @9VSQA for the heads up.