Drone owners in Malaysia, both commercial and recreational, will soon be required to register with the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM).
Non-compliance could result in fines up to RM50,000, jail time up to three years, or both, with corporate bodies facing fines up to RM100,000, according to NST.
Currently, although registration is mandated, adherence is low due to the large number of drones. CAAM plans to establish the Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UAS TM) by the third quarter of next year. The UAS TM aims to better manage the growing number of drones in Malaysia’s airspace.
This system will require drone registration at the point of purchase and mandate permission requests via a mobile app before flight. Instant approval will be granted for drones meeting requirements in unrestricted areas.
The system will automate drone registration and flight approval through a four-stage process: U1 (initial registration), U2 (flight approval), U3 (advanced services for complex operations), and U4 (integration with manned aviation). This management will help prevent drones from entering restricted airspaces.
The operation of the UAS TM will involve multiple agencies, including the Chief Government Security Office, the Survey and Mapping Department, and Sirim.
For more complex commercial operations, such as pipeline monitoring or agricultural tasks, additional oversight and certification will be required.
Approximately 80% of drone use is recreational, with the remaining 20% involving surveillance and transport.
