Artist : Mr. Chau-yih Yu
The Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) is planning to tighten drone regulation by carrying out a full review of cybersecurity requirements amid cross-ministry collaboration ordered by the Cabinet. This review involves:
＊the Ministry of Economic Affairs on product inspection;
＊the Ministry of Digital Affairs (MODA) on cybersecurity certication; and
＊the National Communications Commission on radio frequency device inspection.
The existing drone regulation (the Administrative Rules on Remote Drones) was published on 23 July 2019. It details the drones to be regulated and the requirements for the production, import, sale, use and registration of drones (for more details please see “New drone regulations to come into force in 2020“). To date, there are over 40,000 registered drones, and three out of four of them are owned by individuals rather than legal entities.
Further to an ocial ban on the import and use of Chinese-made drones, the CAA is considering an expansion of the regulation to apply to all drones sold on the commercial market. It is also considering subjecting them to a comprehensive inspection from a cybersecurity perspective. In January 2023, the MODA released the cybersecurity assurance specication for drones, which in March 2023 will introduce to up to 33 drone manufacturers and suppliers to prepare for upcoming mandatory lab inspections. Currently, there are over 1,000 types of drones, according to the CAA registration.
The new rules being considered would require all drones sold on the commercial market to obtain cybersecurity certicates and would ban the use of uncertied unmanned aerial vehicles. A penalty ne up to 1.5 million new Taiwan dollars (approximately $50,000) would apply for single breach, according to recent news report in Taipei.
The new rules propose the further regulation of the private ownership and use of drones by establishing comprehensive standards for cybersecurity, ight safety, certication, radio frequency device inspection (regardless of specics on weight) and ight range.
The CAA will invite public consultation on the draft new rules in April 2023.
