Droning On – Hong Kong Proposes New Regulations for Drones

Gabriela Kennedy's Asia Pacific column in the latest issue of Computer Law & Security Review features a Mayer Brown article titled "Droning On – Hong Kong Proposes New Regulations for Drones”.

The author takes a look at a three-month public consultation issued by the Civil Aviation Department of Hong Kong (“CAD”) on 3 April 2018 on the regulation of unmanned aircraft systems (“UAS”), more commonly known as drones. The rise in popularity of drones have led to an increased awareness of the potential risks associated with UASs, including concerns around personal injury and invasion of privacy. The consultation was launched in an effort to keep pace with international regulatory practices for UASs and to introduce new regulations that protect public safety without hindering the technological advancements or use of UASs.

Gabriela examines the current regulations of UASs and set out the recommendations put forward in the Consultation Paper, which aim to strike a balance between protecting the public while encouraging the development of UASs. She also addresses data privacy concerns surrounding UAS operations and explain that operators should be reminded that they are still subject to the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance, whether or not a UAS falls within the scope of the aviation regulations.

Gabriela is a member of the editorial board of Computer Law & Security Review and edits the Asia Pacific column, a country-by-country analysis of the latest legal developments, cases and issues relating to IT, media and telecommunications in the Asia Pacific region.