THE 20th City Council approved, on second reading, an amendment to Davao City's Drone Regulation Ordinance during their session on Tuesday morning, November 19, 2024.
Proposed by Councilor Luna Maria Acosta, chair of the Peace and Public Safety Committee, the amendment introduces penalties, a no-contest provision, and citation tickets to the existing City Ordinance No. 0419-20, which regulates the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), remote piloted aerial vehicles (RPAVs), and remotely piloted aerial systems (RPAS).
The amendment follows discussions in a July 2024 meeting with the Technical Working Group (TWG), which highlighted the need for better enforcement provisions. The Public Safety and Security Office (PSSO) officially requested the change on July 25.
As amended, Section 9 of the ordinance outlines penalties for offenses like non-registration, falsification, and operating drones in restricted airspace. The fines range from P3,000 for a first offense to P5,000 for a second offense, along with the confiscation of the drone.
A citation ticket will be issued to violators, and the PSSO, along with other authorized enforcement officers, will have the authority to apprehend offenders. They are also authorized to neutralize drones deemed dangerous to public safety.
The ordinance also includes a no-contest provision, allowing violators to avoid criminal liability by paying fines within seven days of a citation.
Fines collected will be split, with 60% allocated to the apprehending barangay and 40% directed to the city's General Fund.
The PSSO and CAAP, in collaboration with the TWG, will also procure a drone neutralization device to disable and jam UAVs. RGP
Related stories:
