The Ministry of Interior, the State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA) and relevant state institutions are accelerating the completion of a draft sub-decree on the management of drones, in order to better guarantee security and public order ahead of the 7th parliamentary election.
Ministry secretary of state Bun Honn, who heads the working group tasked with drafting the sub-decree, said after a May 5 meeting that interior minister Sar Kheng had instructed the work to be completed as soon as possible.
“In Cambodia, drones have been used extensively in all areas. Some of them have affected public order and some have raised national security concerns,” said Honn.
He noted that the sub-decree was intended to be finalised prior to the opening of the 32nd SEA Games, but the extensive consultation required had not yet been completed.
“The working group is reviewing the work and consulting with the SSCA and other bodies. We believe the sub-decree will be completed before the upcoming national election,” he said.
Chea Aun, SSCA permanent secretary of state, was pleased with the progress of the working group, noting that it had carried out extensive consultations with civil aviation authorities.
The sub-decree, which aims to manage the registration, production and use of all types of drones and will formalise the demarcation of restricted areas, has eight chapters, containing 32 articles.
It will apply to all drones in the country, barring those used for national defence and security, as those are covered by a separate legal document.
