TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said that civil unmanned aircraft systems, commonly known as drones, threaten aviation safety if they are not properly regulated. He opined drones potentially be misused for certain purposes.

“Drones are one of the top five threats to the safety of aviation, people, and assets,” said Budi in a statement on Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020.

According to the minister, it is necessary to regulate the use of drones to prevent future issues. At present, Indonesia has the Transportation Ministerial Regulation No. 47/2016 concerning the use, permit, and sanctions related to drones.

The government, he added, must also take steps to mitigate the risk which affects aviation safety, security, and service. Given its operation in the same area as manned aircraft, drafting rules on drones is considered to require the same approach.

“It needs airline certification for drones that transport goods, type certification, registration, and identification, as well as integrated traffic management,” Budi added.

The use of drones keeps growing, the minister admitted. Other than for military, hobbies, photography, mapping, and documentation purposes, drones are also used by cargo transport providers to ship goods.

Budi Karya added that a number of countries, including Indonesia, are still developing regulatory frameworks related to the operation of drones to transport goods. He hoped that the rules would be completed soon to support the traffic of logistics.

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FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA