According to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAAS) announced that 18 flights had been delayed and seven diverted due to drones and bad weather. This is not the first time this has occurred as last week, one Changi Airport runway was suspended with dozens of flights being delayed after drone sightings.
Airports around the world are facing increasing security concerns as drone use becomes more prominent. CAAS said in a statement on Tuesday, “15 departures and three arrivals were delayed and 7 flights were diverted due to bad weather and unauthorised drone activities”.
“Members of the public are reminded that the authorities take a serious view of errant operations of unmanned aircraft which may pose threats to aviation or endanger the personal safety of others,” the statement also said. CAAS also stated that offenders could face fines of up to SGD$20,000 or 12 months in prison.
Drone flying has been a growing risk for airports all over the world. 140,000 passengers were caught up with drone disruptions in the Gatwick airport, the UK’s second busiest airport, in December. The runway was closed for 33 hours over three days, resulting in the cancellation or delay of 1,000 flights. This led to Gatwick and Heathrow airports to spend millions of pounds on anti-drone technology.
