Tan Kiat How on use of drones for building inspection and maintenance

The Government has been exploring the use of drones - referred to as unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) - to inspect and maintain the facades of high-rise buildings. Senior Minister of State for National Development Tan Kiat How said using drones allows building facades to be inspected more quickly and safely, and at lower cost. The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) published two technical references providing specifications for the industry in 2020. In 2023, BCA and Enterprise Singapore launched an accreditation programme, which aims to ensure that inspections are carried out by competent drone service providers. The Government is investing in research and development to advance facade inspection technologies, Mr Tan said. It is also looking into how drones can be used in building maintenance, such as the cleaning of facades. Mr Tan said the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore will continue to review its regulations and approval processes to keep pace with new use cases for drones. He was replying to MPs' questions in Parliament on Monday (Oct 14).