DAVAO City Councilor Maria Belen Acosta said regulations on the sale of drones will be included in the proposed ordinance on regulating unmanned aerial vehicles (AUVs).
“With the high availability of various drones in the market and the ongoing threats faced by our military and other peace-keeping forces, it is high time we address the need for proper drone regulation,” Acosta, who is also the committee on peace and public safety chair, said in a privilege speech during the regular city council session Tuesday, January 8.
Just before 2018 ended, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio released a statement urging the council to implement a law on the use of drones as it could be used as weapons and pose a threat to peace and order.
Sharing the same sentiment, Acosta said drones may be classified as toys but it can undeniably be used for risky activities such as invading another person’s right to privacy.
Acosta cited an incident where a Venezuelan president was attacked using a drone carrying not more than two pounds of explosive devices.
The fact that some drones could carry a certain weight and fly over the assembly area and drop their load unto an unsuspecting crowd prompted the committee to schedule committee hearings inviting involved agencies and individuals.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) currently implements the registration and regulation of drones used for commercial purposes, such as for aerial photography. However, there are no regulations for drones sold as toys or electronic gadgets for other uses.
Acosta said the one who will be in charge of the monitoring could be the Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC) but they will still have to see the result of the committee hearings to be set.