SINGAPORE - Two companies were charged in court on Wednesday with using a drone at construction sites multiple times without the required permits.

China Communications Construction Company (Singapore Branch) faces four charges under the Air Navigation Act – two for operating an unmanned aircraft in the course of business without an unmanned aircraft operator permit, and two for doing the same without a Class 1 activity permit.

Under the law, the company was required to have both permits from the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore to operate the drone at the construction site.

According to court documents, it had operated a DJI Mavic Pro, which weighs 751g, on Dec 30, 2021, around 7.48am without the permits at a construction site at 770 Jurong Road.

The company allegedly did the same on March 14, 2022, around 9.39am.

China Harbour (Singapore) Engineering Company, which faces eight similar charges, had allegedly used the same drone on Feb 23, 2021, around 7.12am at a construction site at 43 Tuas Road in the course of business, without the unmanned aircraft operator and Class 1 activity permits.

It is also accused of doing the same on three other occasions in March 2021.

A search with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority revealed that China Communications Construction Company (Singapore Branch) is a foreign company registered in Singapore that has principal activities including marine, road, bridge and tunnel construction.

China Harbour (Singapore) Engineering Company is a private company limited by shares and its principal activities include general building, engineering design and consultancy.

In court on Wednesday, both companies were represented by the same person, who indicated that they were intending to plead guilty. Neither company engaged a lawyer.

They are expected to appear in court on Aug 2.

For each offence under the Air Navigation Act, an offender can be fined up to $50,000.