Drone owners rush to offload devices ahead of Beijing ban
BEIJING: Drone owners in Beijing flocked to designated buy-back sites this week, looking to sell their devices for as much as possible ahead of an impending citywide ban.
Beijing residents rushed to sell their drones at designated buy-back sites as a citywide ban takes effect. New regulations prohibit both flying and owning drones, giving owners until November 15 to dispose of their devices. At several authorized buyer locations around the city, long lines formed as people attempted to appraise and negotiate prices for their drones.
Several sites were staffed by police, reflecting the importance Beijing officials placed on enforcing the new rules. Dr. Wu, a 48-year-old drone owner, expressed understanding for the government's desire to ensure safety and manage airspace, yet lamented the loss of value on his devices. Another owner, 60-year-old Zhu, accused the buy-back scheme of being a "robbery" that has cost him thousands, as prices for used drones dropped by up to 40 percent.
The ban, implemented following a controversial light aircraft crash that killed a pilot and injured 13 others, aims to safeguard the safety of Beijing's airspace.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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