…..New rules will force drone owners to surrender, sell or move their devices out of the Chinese capital before November 15
China has announced a sweeping ban on the possession and storage of drones in Beijing, citing concerns over security in the capital.
The new regulations were announced on Sunday and will take effect on November 15.
Under the rules, residents will no longer be permitted to possess or store unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) within Beijing.
The regulations also prohibit the transportation of drones and their components into the city.
Drone flights within Beijing’s airspace will remain prohibited without official authorisation.
Authorities said the measures were introduced to “safeguard the security of the capital.”
Drone Owners Face November Deadline
Drone owners in Beijing will be required to dispose of their devices or move them outside the city before the November 15 deadline.
Those who fail to comply could face confiscation of their drones and financial penalties.
Authorities will provide subsidies to owners who surrender their drones for disposal.
Registered drone owners will also have the option of selling their devices back to the government.
Alternatively, owners can use free shipping services to send their drones outside Beijing.
China Tightens Existing Restrictions
The latest regulations further tighten restrictions introduced in May.
At the time, Beijing banned the sale of drones but allowed existing owners to retain their devices after registration.
The new rules now go further by prohibiting residents from possessing or storing drones within the capital.
Beijing, home to about 22 million people, already requires official permission for drone flights in its airspace.
The new regulations will allow exemptions for certain special purposes.
These include counter-terrorism operations, agriculture, disaster relief and research.
Security Concerns Behind the Ban
Security concerns surrounding Beijing’s airspace have increased in recent months.
The supplied report noted that concerns were heightened in June after a small plane crashed into the city’s tallest skyscraper.
The crash reportedly killed the pilot and injured 13 people.
Drew Thompson, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, said the restrictions reflected Beijing’s political sensitivity.
He said the Communist Party was seeking what he described as “absolute security” in the capital.
Thompson also argued that the restrictions went beyond concerns about terrorist attacks.
He said drones could potentially be used for surveillance and counter-intelligence activities.
According to him, the policy therefore reflects wider concerns about the use of drones for intelligence-gathering purposes.
The new regulations will significantly change how drone owners and operators can use the devices within Beijing.
