Where Can Businesses Use Professional Drone Services in Singapore for Aerial Filming?

Where a business can film from the air in Singapore depends on three checks: the airspace the site sits in, the CAAS permits the flight needs, and permission from whoever controls the venue. All three should be settled before a shoot date is confirmed, because a fixed date leaves little room if one of them falls through. 

This article sets out how to run each check when booking professional drone services in Singapore, for event organisers, developers and corporate teams planning commercial drone filming.

The Permits Every Business Drone Flight Needs

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) states that a Class 1 Activity Permit is required for all outdoor unmanned aircraft operations for business purposes, regardless of weight, location or altitude, and that applicants must first hold a valid Operator Permit. The person flying must also hold a UA Pilot Licence.

Hobby flying works differently, with permits depending on conditions such as height and location. For business use, the permit requirement applies wherever the flight takes place, and the location then determines what else is needed. CAAS lists areas within 5 km of aerodromes, danger areas, prohibited areas, restricted areas and protected areas under the Air Navigation Act as general no-fly zones, where unmanned aircraft cannot be operated without the required permit. 

Because these zones are not always obvious on the ground, every location needs checking, whether the shoot is for video or aerial photography by drone in Singapore. The rules that apply to hobbyists are covered in the legal guide to drones in Singapore, so this article focuses on the business side.

How Can a Business Check Whether a Filming Location Is Restricted?

CAAS directs unmanned aircraft users to OneMap, which shows where flying is recommended, where permits are required, and the latest temporary restricted area updates. Checking the site there is the first step, and confirming it with the operator is the second.

Different kinds of locations raise different questions, and the table below sets out what to check first. Hobbyists looking for open flying areas are better served by the guide to the best spots for drone flying in Singapore, because business shoots follow a different process.

#	Location Type	What to Check
1	Near an airport or airbase	Whether the site falls within 5 km of an aerodrome, which CAAS lists as a general no-fly zone.
2	Government, military or other sensitive sites	Whether the site lies in a danger, prohibited, restricted or protected area. Prohibited areas are closed to drone activity at all times, and protected areas also need a permit from the Singapore Police Force.
3	Large public events	Whether CAAS has set a temporary restricted area covering the event dates.
4	Indoor venues and events	Whether the event will have more than 50 attendees at any time, or is an organised sporting activity. Either triggers CAAS permit requirements for business flights indoors.
5	Private or managed property	Whether the owner or venue management has agreed in writing, and whether the land management authority sets its own restrictions. This is separate from airspace permits.

Temporary restrictions are easy to miss. For the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix (8 to 12 October), CAAS set a temporary restricted area that prohibited aerial activities, including drone flights without the required CAAS permits, during specified hours over an area that included Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay and the Kallang Sports Hub. A site that is open on one date can be restricted on another, so the date matters as much as the address.

How Does the Location Check Differ by Type of Project?

The same questions apply to every shoot, but the emphasis shifts with the project. Event organisers should focus on dates and attendance, because temporary restricted areas are tied to specific dates and the CAAS indoor rule depends on how many people attend. Real estate developers filming a site or a completed development should check its distance from aerodromes and any protected or restricted areas first, then confirm access with the owner or managing agent. 

Corporate teams filming at a venue or campus should secure management permission early, since it sits outside the airspace process and can take time to arrange. Whatever the project, the location check takes far less time than rescheduling a crew, a venue and a client, so it belongs at the start of planning.

What Should a Business Plan Before Booking Professional Drone Services?

Agree the location, dates, permit responsibilities and fallback options with the operator before the date is fixed. Early planning matters because permit approvals follow CAAS processing times, not the production schedule. CAAS lists an average processing time of five working days for an Activity Permit, and notes that complex operations can take longer.

What Should You Tell a Provider About the Site?

A provider can only assess a location properly with specific details, whether the job is professional aerial photography of a development or footage of a live event. Choosing drone filming locations in Singapore is easier when the following are ready at the first conversation:

•        Exact location: the address or site boundary, and the areas to be filmed.

•        Dates and times: including alternatives, since temporary restrictions can apply to specific dates.

•        Purpose: what the footage is for, which affects how the flight is planned.

•        Attendance: whether people will be present, and roughly how many.

•        Venue contact: who can grant access to the property.

Permit handling and flight planning are part of We the Flyers’ aerial filming service, and our pilots are CAAS-certified. Venue or landowner permission is a separate step, so agree in writing who is arranging it.

What Happens If a Location Cannot Be Approved?

Approval is not guaranteed for every site or date, so a fallback plan protects the project. Options include an alternative date, a different vantage point outside the restricted area, or a revised shot list that covers only the parts of the site that can be flown. If a location cannot be approved at all, finding out during planning leaves time to change the venue or the approach.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does landowner permission replace aviation permits?

No. Permission from a venue owner covers access to the property. Airspace restrictions and CAAS permits are separate requirements.

Do indoor drone shoots need a permit?

For business use, an Operator Permit and a Class 1 Activity Permit are needed when the indoor event has more than 50 attendees at any time or is an organised sporting activity. The pilot also needs a UA Pilot Licence if the venue is publicly accessible, so even small indoor shoots should be checked against CAAS requirements for the specific activity.

Send the Site Details First

The quickest way to find out whether a location can be filmed is to share it before the date is locked in. WetheFlyers handles permits and flight planning for its aerial filming productions in Singapore. To have a site checked, leave us a message with the address, preferred dates and expected attendance.