Setting up of Drone Port

Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Transport whether the Ministry will consider setting up a drone port to accommodate the rising transport of goods via drones.

Let me do my part. We recognise the potential for drones to be deployed for a large variety of uses both in the public and private sectors. We have been facilitating this while making sure that associated aviation safety, public safety and security risks are addressed.

On the use of drones to transport goods within Singapore, the technology is not yet mature for safe, widespread deployment in a densely populated, urban environment. We have been facilitating trials to better understand the technologies and the implementation and safety issues. One example is the Skyways Project between CAAS and Airbus Helicopters on the use of drones for last-mile parcel delivery at the NUS campus. We will be initiating other trials.

I thank the Minister for his answer. Just a few supplementary questions. Firstly, is the Ministry monitoring the progress of drone port projects that appear to have started elsewhere, I believe in Rwanda and Nevada, USA, to see if there is something that we can learn from that?

Secondly, is the Ministry considering any kind of central infrastructure in the future, when the technology is more mature, that could enable us to harness the economic benefits from the forthcoming drone industry for instance, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), charging and other functions of that nature?

Thirdly, could the Minister share an update on the regulatory framework, whether the Ministry is forward planning the regulatory framework for a future where, maybe a few years down the road, drones may be widely used in the logistics industry?

Indeed, we are not alone in trying out these various technologies and their applications. Yes, I am familiar with the Rwanda project. Last year, at the Venice Biennale, the British architect Norman Foster set up a pilot drone port. His idea was to set up one, preferably using recyclable materials. Out of that drone port, you can deliver drugs, medicine and so on to different parts of Africa. That was just an idea. Someone sort of picked up the idea and decided to do it in Rwanda. It is very early days.

Elsewhere in the US, UK and Europe, there are many such experiments being tested out. UPS is trying out mobile drone ports by using the roof of their UPS vans so that you can move around and launch your drones off the roof-top of your van.

Everybody is learning from one another. Singapore, ourselves, should be at the forefront of all these and that explains our proof-of-concept project with Airbus. Very soon, we will be launching a Request for Proposal for similar bright ideas. Do not forget that to run a trial is not cheap. As there are many such ideas, our job is to take a good look, select the better ones, especially those which can bring benefits for Singaporeans or help build capabilities among our companies.

The second question about whether there is any coordination or centralisation, the answer is yes, there is. My Ministry leads in this drone project. There is a multi-agency committee, led by us, to explore how else we can make use of drones and also to see how we can tap on scale, especially when we want to purchase either equipment, drones or solutions.

The third part about regulations, the answer is also yes. Out of that inter-agency committee, we worked on the first draft for the regulation of drones. As I have said, it has impact on safety, security and so on. My predecessor brought the Bill to this House. The Member was not in this House then, so he was not aware. We were among the first in the world to have a regulatory framework governing drones. As technology makes progress, we have to keep on tweaking the regulations.

Last year, when I was in Montreal for the ICAO meeting, our regulatory framework was a subject of great interest from many countries, because everyone is facing the same problem. Problem in the sense of the downside impact of the technology; but the upside potential is huge. The key is how to tap upside potential, while minimising downside effect.

Sorry for this long-winded reply.