Seoul: The government has announced that it will consider easing regulations on the use of drones to assist in combating large wildfires. This initiative aims to utilize unmanned aerial vehicles more effectively in firefighting efforts, officials revealed on Thursday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the proposed changes are part of three "regulatory sandbox" projects selected by the Office for Government Policy Coordination in the first half of the year. These projects are designed to assess the feasibility of modifying or waiving existing regulations that currently hinder drone deployment in firefighting operations.

Under existing regulations, drones weighing more than 150 kilograms are classified as aircraft. This classification requires them to obtain permission prior to flight and prohibits their operation during nighttime. The government is considering allowing nighttime flights and waiving post-operation flight permissions if drones prove effective in wildfire scenarios.

Officials noted that expanding the use of large drone fleets for aerial firefighting could significantly enhance the ability to secure critical timeframes and prevent the spread of large-scale wildfires.