The department’s Deputy Director General, Mr Bounteng Symoun, told Vientiane Times the operators of drones that weigh one kilogram or more must obtain a certificate from the Radio Frequency Department.
This radio frequency certificate must then be submitted together with an insurance certificate and proof of tax payment to the department, which will then issue a registration document.
“We are now preparing the system and will publicly announce the details of the regulation in the near future. Our department is now ready to carry out the registration process for drone owners and give them an operating permit, which they need to have before they are allowed to fly a drone,” Mr Bounteng said.
The department has already registered 33 drones and 10 people have received an operating permit to use them in specific areas of the country.
After drone owners have registered, they are required to inform the department of the places where they intend to fly the drone, before they can actually put the drone into operation.
Operators and owners of the devices should also be competent in their use and know exactly how to control and fly them, as well as fully understanding the instruction manual. When the department is satisfied they have fulfilled these requirements, applicants will be given an operating permit, Mr Bounteng said.
“Flying a drone is like driving a vehicle, for which you need a driving licence and vehicle documents. We will soon hold a workshop with the police to inform them about the drone regulations. This means the police can check your drone in the same way they check your vehicle or your driving licence,” he added.
When the department has made the new regulation public, drone owners must apply for a registration document at the department if they didn’t want to have problems with the police, he said.
President of the Lao Insurance Association, Mr Holady Volarath, said “We don’t have an insurance product to cover drones because there are so few of them in Laos. But we will discuss the matter at our meeting next week and consider the viability of selling insurance policies and how we can comply with the regulations.”
