Beijing to ban drone possession, citing security

BEIJING: Beijing will ban the possession of drones within city limits under new rules from November, further tightening regulations that already prohibited the sale of the devices.

The rules, announced on Sunday (Sep 13) and due to take effect on Nov 15, forbid possessing or storing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the Chinese capital and ban flights in its airspace.

Transporting drones or their components into Beijing will also be forbidden.

Airspace safety fears in the city of 22 million were raised in June when a small plane crashed into its tallest skyscraper, killing the pilot and injuring 13 others.

The regulations, formulated by Beijing's municipal government, cited the need to "safeguard the security of the capital".

Under rules introduced in May, Beijing already prohibited drone sales, while owners had to register their devices but were allowed to keep them.

The new regulations mandate that all drone owners dispose of their devices or move them out of Beijing by Nov 15, or else face confiscation and fines.

Authorities will offer subsidies for owners to scrap their gadgets or sell them through buy-back channels.

Alternatively, they will be offered free shipping to mail them out of the city.

Drone flights in Beijing's airspace already require permission from authorities.

According to the new rules, exemptions may be provided for special purposes like counter-terrorism, agriculture, disaster relief, and research.