Beijing prohibits drone possession under tightened security rules

Beijing will ban the possession of drones within the city limits starting November 15, as new rules tighten existing regulations that already prohibited the sale of the devices. The city, home to 22 million residents, is aiming to safeguard security by prohibiting the storage and transportation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and drone flights in its airspace.

The rules, announced last Sunday and set to take effect in less than a month, were prompted by an incident in June where a small plane crashed into Beijing's tallest skyscraper, resulting in the pilot's death and 13 injuries. While Beijing had already begun prohibiting drone sales in May, owners were permitted to keep their devices under the May rules.

The new regulations demand that all drone owners either dispose of their devices or relocate them outside Beijing by the deadline, or face confiscation and fines. Authorities will provide subsidies for owners to scrapp their devices or engage in buy-back channels, or offer free shipping to mail them out of the city. Drone flights in Beijing's airspace still require permission from authorities, with exemptions potentially granted for special purposes such as counter-terrorism, agriculture, disaster relief, and research.