Apec site is no-drone zone; fliers told to stay grounded

DRONE owners, park your expensive toys for now.

On the second day of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Manila, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) reminded owners of unmanned aerial vehicles or drones of the no-fly zone around Apec event venues.

This after the PAF’s Task Group Air received reports that drones were spotted in the vicinity of two hotels on Tuesday.

PAF spokesperson Col. Enrico Canaya said the two drones—which are normally used to take video from the air—were sighted flying near the Midas Hotel and Heritage Hotel in Pasay City, both of which are located along Roxas Boulevard across from the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) complex where the bulk of the Apec meetings will be held.

Canaya said drones were among the prohibitions in the “no-fly zone” guidelines issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines for the Apec summit.

In particular, drones are not allowed within 40 nautical miles (74 kilometers) of the Manila VHF omni directional radio range navigation facility at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport from 6 a.m. of Nov. 17 to 12:59 p.m. of Nov. 18, and from 6:31 a.m. of Nov. 19 to 7 p.m. of Nov. 20.

There is also a no-fly zone within 70 nautical miles (129 km) of the PICC, up to a height of 16,000 feet, from 1 p.m. of Nov. 18 to 6:30 p.m. of Nov. 19.

There is also a no-fly zone within a 40 nautical mile radius of the PICC from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Nov. 18, and from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 19.

Canaya said concerned citizens may report violations of the no-fly zone through Apec public assistance hotline 0949-7260082 and 0906-2163615.