Taichung Qingquangang Air Force Base was closed due to drone intrusion and 8 fighter jets were diverted to Hsinchu

Qingquangang Air Force Base in Taichung was forced to close last night due to drones invading the surrounding airspace. The Civil Aviation Administration of the Ministry of Transportation reminded that the activities of remote-controlled drones are restricted around the airport. Those who operate drones in violation of regulations may be fined NT$300,000 to NT$1.5 million in accordance with the Civil Aviation Law. The public is reminded that they can download and use official maps before taking off to avoid penalties.

Taichung Qingquangang Air Force Base last night had eight IDF Ching Kuo fighter jets performing night flight training diverted to Hsinchu Air Force Base due to a drone intrusion into the surrounding airspace. At Taichung International Airport, a flight from Macau to Taichung was affected and hovered in the air for a long time before landing. Since Qingquangang Airport is a joint-military and civilian airport, if a drone intrudes, the military and aviation police will take appropriate measures to eliminate it and impose heavy penalties in accordance with the law.

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According to statistics from the Civil Aviation Administration, as of the end of June this year, there were 36,066 valid drone licenses and 42,016 registered drones.

Drone prohibited and restricted areas are jointly divided and announced by the Civil Aviation Administration and local governments. They are divided into natural persons (general citizens, players) and qualified legal persons (such as institutions, schools or companies approved by the Civil Aviation Administration), and are divided into green, yellow and red zones for control. The green zone is the most open area. In the airspace below 120 meters, citizens and legal persons can fly. If To fly under certain circumstances such as gatherings and at night, only qualified legal persons can apply for activities; in the yellow zone, there is a height limit of 60 meters, and general public can fly. If qualified legal persons have exceeding the restricted altitude or other specific flight needs, they can also apply; the red zone is a no-fly zone, and only qualified legal persons are allowed to apply in accordance with the regulations, and the general public is not yet open to apply.

Geng Hua, executive secretary of the Drone Office of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, said that the activities of remote-controlled drones are restricted around the airport. If you operate a drone in violation of regulations, you may be fined 300,000 yuan to 1.5 million yuan in accordance with the Civil Aviation Law. In serious cases, the competent authority may directly confiscate the remote-controlled drone.

Geng Hua reminded the public that before taking off, they can download and use the Ministry of Transport's DRONE MAP drone mobile service APP, or go to the Civil Aviation Administration of China's remote-controlled drone management information system (drone.caa.gov.tw) to check the correct restricted and prohibited flight restrictions for remote-controlled drones, so as to avoid being punished for not fully understanding civil aviation regulations or misunderstanding the information from other operating software.