SINGAPORE - Members of a parliamentary group for defence visited the Murai Camp on Friday to learn more about drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles.

They went to the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Command Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) located at the camp on a visit hosted by Minister of State for Defence Maliki Osman.

Members of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Defence and Foreign Affairs (GPC-DFA) and its resource panel were briefed on the organisational structure and role of the UAV Command, which has been responsible for the development of unmanned systems in the SAF since 2007.

Senior Lieutenant-Colonel Ho Kum Luen, commander of UAV Command, also shared how his unit leverages on technology to train servicemen to perform their roles safely and effectively.

The visitors were treated to a static display of Heron 1, one of the unmanned vehicles, and tried out the training simulators. They also interacted with full-time national servicemen and operationally ready national servicemen from the UAV Command.

"I was very impressed that now with technology and innovation, we've managed to train our men at a faster pace with less manpower," said chairman of GPC-DFA and MP for Potong Pasir GRC, Mr Sitoh Yih Pin.

He added: "We're a small nation, we have our own vulnerabilities. But we're also a very strong and respected country...Certainly, one of the reasons for that is because we have a very strong SAF."