The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (Minister Won Hee-ryong) has transferred the safety and business management of the ultra-light vehicle (drone) use business to the Korea Transportation Safety Authority, an organization specializing in aviation safety management, from December 8 to further consolidate the safety and business management of the drone utilization industry. It was entrusted to implement it.
In the meantime, the safety and business management of the ultra-light vehicle (drone) use business has been performed by the local aviation authority, but there were limitations in inspection activities for the safety and business management of the rapidly growing utilization industry* with limited manpower.
* (Increase in businesses using ultra-light vehicles) 697 in 2015 → 5,484 in October 2022 (7.8 times increase)
Accordingly, as the need for thorough prior safety management and securing public life safety is continuously raised so that the growth of the drone utilization industry, centered on drone technology experts, does not lead to an increase in accidents, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport continues to issue registration of ultra-light vehicle use projects, business improvement orders, etc. Safety management tasks such as project management, safety activities, and safety improvement orders were entrusted to the Korea Transportation Safety Authority to ensure more detailed prior management.
In addition, on-site inspections were conducted jointly by the local aviation administration and the Korea Transportation Safety Authority to ensure fairer inspections, and consequently, dispositions such as cancellation/suspension of business registration and fines were continuously implemented by the local aviation authorities.
< 초경량비행장치사용사업 관리업무 이관 주요내용>
– (New establishment of Article 75 (3) of the Aviation Business Act) Business registration, business plan change approval, business change, transfer/acquisition, merger, inheritance, suspension/closure report, business improvement order
– (Aviation Safety Act Article 135 Paragraph 5 13-2 and 13-3 newly established) Safety improvement order, report or document submission order for aviation safety activities
※ However, disposition matters such as cancellation/suspension of business registration and penalty surcharges are delegated to the head of the regional aviation office.
On the other hand, from the business operator’s point of view, even after the management of the ultra-light vehicle use business is entrusted to the Korea Transportation Safety Authority, the procedures such as registration of the use business and the duties to be observed by the business operator are the same, so there is no part that increases the burden.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has been preparing in various ways to reduce trial and error in the early stages of operation, such as legislative maintenance, information system establishment, and manpower and budget securing, for the consignment operation of the ultra-light vehicle use project.
Through the revision of the Airline Business Act, etc., the basis for business consignment and information system establishment and operation was prepared, manpower and related budgets were secured, and the information system for safety and business-related data management was completed by the end of this year. Is expected.
Aviation Policy Officer Kim Heon-jeong of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said, “As detailed safety and business management become possible through the entrustment of the ultra-light vehicle use project, the level of people’s living safety is improved, such as preparing effective safety measures, as well as drone delivery and drone delivery. It is expected that the drone industry will quickly become deeply embedded in people’s lives by contributing to the revitalization of industries such as shows.”