Just had run in with police about flying drone in Baguio Philippines

[jwilson]

I came to Baguio for only one full day. So i flew some this morning. I started to fly right outside a mall. A minute or so after i took off, a security guard at the mall told me I couldn't fly by there. So I moved away. I moved to right in front of the Police station! Police were 3 feet away from me, and didn't say anything. So finally when I was landing, one cop said something about I had to land it. So I landed it, and I was finished for the time being anyway. So then I go out at night, and I wanna get some shots at dusk and the night time. So I fly one battery. Then I'm flying a second battery. A cop comes over, and he says you can't fly here without a permit, and that I have to land the drone. So I landed the drone. Then he said I had to come over to the Police station with him. So they showed me some stuff on their phones, that says you need a permit in Baggio to fly. But if it's not available to the flying public, what good is it? If they're just giving that information to the police? The cop who told me to land was there. He said he told me to land in the afternoon. I said, yea, but you didn't tell me a needed a permit. He said, yea, that was my mistake. I'm doing more research on whether or not you actually need a permit to fly or not. So anyway, they just took a picture of my ID, and asked me what hotel I'm staying at. I'm leaving tomorrow. Anyway, it was kind of scary for a while, but hopefully i won't have a problem.

I just found this. This was what they were showing me at the police station.

Baguio City Public Information Office

𝗙𝗟𝗬𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗙 𝗗𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗩𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗘𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗕𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗛𝗜𝗕𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗 The City Council, during last Monday’s regular session, approved on first reading a proposed ordinance prohibiting the flying of drones over...

www.facebook.com

 

[jwilson]

After rereading the Facebook page, it says this is only a proposed ordinance, and hasn't been voted into law yet. And it was only proposed on March 29th, less than two weeks ago.
I could goto the police tomorrow, and argue with them, that it's not the law yet, but I don't think that would be very smart! Lol.

 

[GFields]

Not sure about there, but in the USA, to fly launch on private property permission is needed or you may be asked to leave.

 

[toucanf16]

Their country, their rules. Don’t assume anything.

 

[MS Coast]

I came to Baguio for only one full day. So i flew some this morning. I started to fly right outside a mall. A minute or so after i took off, a security guard at the mall told me I couldn't fly by there. So I moved away. I moved to right in front of the Police station! Police were 3 feet away from me, and didn't say anything. So finally when I was landing, one cop said something about I had to land it. So I landed it, and I was finished for the time being anyway. So then I go out at night, and I wanna get some shots at dusk and the night time. So I fly one battery. Then I'm flying a second battery. A cop comes over, and he says you can't fly here without a permit, and that I have to land the drone. So I landed the drone. Then he said I had to come over to the Police station with him. So they showed me some stuff on their phones, that says you need a permit in Baggio to fly. But if it's not available to the flying public, what good is it? If they're just giving that information to the police? The cop who told me to land was there. He said he told me to land in the afternoon. I said, yea, but you didn't tell me a needed a permit. He said, yea, that was my mistake. I'm doing more research on whether or not you actually need a permit to fly or not. So anyway, they just took a picture of my ID, and asked me what hotel I'm staying at. I'm leaving tomorrow. Anyway, it was kind of scary for a while, but hopefully i won't have a problem.

I just found this. This was what they were showing me at the police station.

Baguio City Public Information Office

𝗙𝗟𝗬𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗙 𝗗𝗥𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥 𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗩𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗜𝗘𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗕𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗛𝗜𝗕𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗗 The City Council, during last Monday’s regular session, approved on first reading a proposed ordinance prohibiting the flying of drones over...

www.facebook.com

That link is to a proposed city regulation.

Did you check on the existing regulations before flying?

A quick look on the web suggests that drone registration is required for visitors and that there's a national prohibition on flying in densely populated areas.

 

[icecoldgin]

There are threads already to rules and regulations in flying drones in the Philippines. One rule is that you cannot fly in evening unless permitted by the regulatory authorities

 

[jwilson]

Did you check on the existing regulations before flying?

Yes I did, but I didn't find that page. Maybe I checked before March 29th, when that came out. I did notice later, that it is a "proposed" regulation, but I didn't see that when they were showing me on their phones at the police station.

 

[jwilson]

One rule is that you cannot fly in evening unless permitted by the regulatory authorities

I never heard that before. I've only made a couple of night flights.

 

[MS Coast]

Yes I did, but I didn't find that page. Maybe I checked before March 29th, when that came out. I did notice later, that it is a "proposed" regulation, but I didn't see that when they were showing me on their phones at the police station.

There have been national rules for drone operation in the Philippines for years before that city ordinance was even proposed. Here's the website for the country's civil aviation authority.

Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines | The Future is in the Skies

caap.gov.ph

It's not a good idea to visit another country and fly a drone, or drive a car, without knowing what their rules are.

 

[jwilson]

There have been national rules for drone operation in the Philippines for years before that city ordinance was even proposed. Here's the website for the country's civil aviation authority.

Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines | The Future is in the Skies

caap.gov.ph

It's not a good idea to visit another country and fly a drone, or drive a car, without knowing what their rules are.

If you read what i said, I didn't break any rules. It was all about this proposed ordinance to need a permit. Read before you post!

 

[MS Coast]

If you read what i said, I didn't break any rules. It was all about this proposed ordinance to need a permit. Read before you post!

I did read what you posted.

I asked whether you were aware of the existing national regulations for the Philippines before your flight. You seemed to be suggesting that there were no rules other than the new city ordinance. According to what I saw in a very brief look on line, you may have been in violation of some basic regulations. Baguio certainly looks like a populated area on Google Maps and there's a large airport on the southeast side. Perhaps you did obtain the required permit and were in the northwestern portion of the city and kept the drone 30 meters away from everyone at the mall.

RPAS Infographics | Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines

caap.gov.ph

 

[icecoldgin]

I never heard that before. I've only made a couple of night flights.

Here is the rule:

"xxx​

​

11.11.7.3 OPERATING AN RPA AT NIGHT​

​

a. All RPA Controllers doing non-commercial operations are prohibited to operate an RPA at night unless authorized by the Authority.​

​

xxx"​

Hope this helps

 

[jwilson]

I did read what you posted.

I asked whether you were aware of the existing national regulations for the Philippines before your flight. You seemed to be suggesting that there were no rules other than the new city ordinance. According to what I saw in a very brief look on line, you may have been in violation of some basic regulations. Baguio certainly looks like a populated area on Google Maps and there's a large airport on the southeast side. Perhaps you did obtain the required permit and were in the northwestern portion of the city and kept the drone 30 meters away from everyone at the mall.

RPAS Infographics | Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines

caap.gov.ph

View attachment 174312

The rules in the Philippines are pretty much the same as the US. I'm aware of most of them, but I never heard of the no night flight rule.

 

[jwilson]

Here is the rule:

"xxx​

​

11.11.7.3 OPERATING AN RPA AT NIGHT​

​

a. All RPA Controllers doing non-commercial operations are prohibited to operate an RPA at night unless authorized by the Authority.​

​

xxx"​

Hope this helps

Can you tell me the website where you found that?

 

[MS Coast]

The rules in the Philippines are pretty much the same as the US. I'm aware of most of them, but I never heard of the no night flight rule.

Actually, they're quite different - 30 meters from people, 10 km from airports, no flights over populated areas, ...

If you read what i said, I didn't break any rules. It was all about this proposed ordinance to need a permit. Read before you post!

 

[icecoldgin]

Can you tell me the website where you found that?

Here is the link: PCAR Part 11 | Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines

Safe droning