Photographer Fined S$15,000 for Drone Flight Over Singapore Military Sites

A freelance photographer has been fined S$15,000 (US$12,000) in Singapore for operating a drone illegally and recording footage of sensitive military installations. Prayut Rittichaipornkul, a 32-year-old Thai national based in Bangkok, pleaded guilty to two offenses under the Air Navigation Act and its related regulations.

The incident occurred on April 21, 2026, when Prayut was in Singapore at the invitation of an employee from C&R Interiors, a company with offices near the protected Pasir Laba Camp and SAFTI Military Institute. Initially hired to photograph the company's Singapore office for marketing purposes, Prayut decided to use his DJI Mavic 4 Pro drone due to dissatisfaction with handheld camera footage.

During the 26-minute flight, which reached an altitude of about 459 meters, the drone entered restricted airspace. Prayut lacked the necessary permits for operating a drone for business and for recording protected areas. The Republic of Singapore Air Force detected the unauthorized drone and alerted the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), which traced the device back to Prayut at the C&R Interiors office.

Authorities seized the drone and found at least 18 video recordings, with three capturing parts of the protected military zones. In addition to the two charges he pleaded guilty to, five other similar charges were considered during sentencing. The court imposed the S$15,000 fine, falling short of the maximum penalty of S$50,000 fine or two years' imprisonment, or both, for operating an unmanned aircraft for business without a permit.