Beijing puts a total ban on drones in update to regulations after deadly crash - Bangkok Post

Men stand on a balcony overlooking the central business district in Beijing. (Photo: Reuters) Beijing has introduced stricter drone regulations, banning all uncrewed flights as well as the possession and storage of existing devices, while detailing disposal methods for the first time in an effort to strengthen security in the capital.

The new rules, which will take effect on Nov 15, follow an incident in June, when a small aircraft crashed into Beijing's tallest building, the Citic Tower - also known as China Zun - leading to the death of the pilot.

The newly revised regulations on the management of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were announced on Sunday on the municipal government website. They will apply across the city.

The authorities will also establish a no-fly zone in the capital and its surrounding areas, effective from Sunday, primarily restricting non-essential flights, official media in Beijing said on Sunday. Commercial aviation and emergency rescue operations will be exempt.

According to the document, Beijing's entire administrative area is designated as restricted airspace for UAVs. It is forbidden not only to fly drones but also to possess, store, transport or bring them and their core components into the city, except in exceptional circumstances.

The new rules, which build upon the original framework approved in March, state that the revisions are to "adapt to the new situations, tasks and requirements" of UAV management and "to effectively fortify the capital's security defences".

The city will "further tighten control measures and comprehensively investigate hidden safety hazards … to strengthen airspace security management", the government notice said.

For drone owners, the regulations eliminate any remaining loopholes regarding possession of the devices and are widely considered to be "the strictest to date".

One social media user commented: "From now on, drones in Beijing have been 'reduced to zero'. Possession is completely prohibited, and existing ones must be 'relocated out of Beijing'."

"In Beijing, drones are now being regulated like firearms," the commenter added.

Another online comment, from someone working in the media industry, noted that previously, registered drones could be stored. Following the new regulations, they can neither be flown nor kept.

This would affect his industry, as "aerial photography will be entirely out of the question", he said.

The original regulations, approved by the municipal legislative body, formally came into force on May 1. Previously, Beijing's entire airspace had been declared a restricted zone, requiring approval for all drone flights before take-off.

However, the revised regulations impose a blanket ban on all flight activities, which includes barring those required for special safeguarding purposes.

Once the new rules take effect, all organisations and individuals - unless otherwise specified by law - will be prohibited from setting up storage facilities anywhere within the municipality.

The document also outlined disposal methods for the first time for drone equipment that is already being kept in the city. Owners must transfer their drones out of Beijing via the specified official channels before mid-November, it said.

Aside from owners physically removing the devices themselves, the municipality is offering three disposal routes: on-site buy-backs, scrapping and recycling, or sending them outside Beijing via courier.

The city will provide various subsidy schemes and postage fees will be waived for drones mailed out of the capital, the municipal authority said.

The South China Morning Post has previously revealed through interviews and research that nearly 20 of China's biggest cities have put in place a blanket ban on civilian drone flights in central areas, with some changes implemented without policy announcements.

The capital is undoubtedly the most thorough and rigorous of them all in its control of drones.