More than 25 uses of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), more commonly known as drones, are being tested out by public sector agencies, according to the Singapore Transport Ministry.
The trials are being facilitated by an inter-agency UAS Committee – chaired by the Transport Ministry – and formed early last year. For example, the National Environment Agency (NEA) is looking to combat dengue with drones that can deposit larvicide on hard-to-reach places like roof gutters.
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore is another agency that is exploring the use of drones in marine incidents, such as to support oil spill clean-ups and search and rescue operations.
n addition, the UAS Committee is working on bringing together the use of drones by various public sector agencies. So far, it has conducted three inter-agency proof-of-concept trials for the inspection of construction sites, the Transport Ministry said.
These trials involve the Manpower Ministry, PUB, Building and Construction Authority, NEA, Land Transport Authority, Singapore Land Authority and Agri-food and Veterinary Authority.
The trials are aimed at allowing participating agencies to tap on a single UAS flight for their respective purposes, which include inspection and monitoring, said the Transport Ministry.
TENDER CALL IN MID-FEBRUARY
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Mr Pang Kin Keong, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport (MOT), said: “We need a UAS policy framework that is balanced, practical and sustainable, given the many potential applications and use of drones, and their increasing availability and affordability.
“We want to facilitate their use by industry and the public sector, and also hobbyists, but we must at the same time balance against aviation safety, public safety, security and privacy concerns,” he added.
Mr Pang said organisations may not be able to do all that they would like with drones, but the UAS’ risk-based framework will try to “facilitate as much as possible”.
To achieve better economies of scale from the collective demand of public agencies for UAS services, MOT will be calling a tender in mid-February to invite service providers to bid for a master contract for drone services.
Photo: Linette Lin
Source: Channel News Asia