The Consumer Council on Thursday called on drone shops to display regulatory information on small unmanned aircraft (SUA) and strengthen frontline staff's understanding of relevant regulations.

The council said it had visited 17 physical shops and browsed 14 retail websites selling SUAs.

None of the shops displayed regulatory information on the SUA Order, whereas the level of understanding of the relevant requirements varied among staff at different shops, it said.

While there were a few staff from toy chain stores who were unfamiliar with or uncertain about the regulations, one member of staff thought that SUAs being sold were merely toys and not subject to regulation.

As for online retailers, some electronic retail chains’ websites mentioned basic precautions for operating SUAs, but many other websites only reminded consumers to familiarise themselves with the regulations on their own.

It also noted that a website of a retail chain did not display any regulatory information at all.

The council recommended that retail stores strengthen training for frontline staff to enhance their understanding of relevant local regulations.

It also urged physical shops and online product pages to clearly display the most basic regulatory information or distribute leaflets, so as to help consumers understand the registration and operational requirements before making appropriate purchasing decisions.

Alaina Shum, the council's chief executive, reminded the public that drone operators must be aged 14 or above and should register with the Civil Aviation Department’s (CAD) Electronic Portal for Small Unmanned Aircraft.

"Automatic return-to-home and obstacle-avoidance functions of SUAs may fail due to various factors," Shum said.

"Therefore, operators must remain vigilant at all times and should not rely solely on these functions. In the event of an accident, the responsible person and operator should immediately report to the CAD.

"Do not modify the radiocommunications system of an SUA, as this may cause interference affecting the normal operation of other radio communication equipment and may contravene relevant provisions of the Telecommunications Ordinance," she added.

Shum also urged SUA operators to carefully inspect components for loose items or damage before flight, ensure normal operations and sufficient battery power for return; understand the maximum remote control range of the drone and ensure that it remains within range throughout the flight.


Edited by Tony Sabine