Drone owners rush to offload devices ahead of Beijing ban

People walk past a sign reading "No drone zone" in an alley in Beijing on Sept. 14. | AFP-JIJI

AFP-Jiji

Sep 20, 2026

Beijing – Drone owners in Beijing flocked to designated buy-back sites in recent days, looking to sell their devices for as much as possible ahead of an impending citywide ban.

New rules in the Chinese capital ban not just the flying of unmanned aerial vehicles but the possession or storage of them, meaning owners have until November 15 to get rid of their drones.

At several authorized buyer sites across the city, reporters witnessed queues of people waiting for staff to appraise their drones and negotiate prices.

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