Anyone who received a drone as a present this year must register it with authorities, Saif Al Suwaidi, director general of the General Civil Aviation Authority, has said, adding that it is important people know the regulations that govern drone ownership.
“Whether it is received as a gift or bought by the person, it doesn’t matter. People need to register their drones with the GCAA,” The National quoted Al Suwaidi as saying. “We recommend that people visit the GCAA website and read the rules and regulations along with the instructions on how to register their devices.”
Dubai International Airport was shut down for about half an hour on September 28 as a result of unauthorised drone flights within its airspace, the report said, adding drones are prohibited within 5 kilometres of the UAE’s airports.
The following day, the GCAA reportedly issued a regulation requiring drone operators to hold a permit and liability insurance of at least Dh2 million.
Mansour Al Baloushi, chairman of Sanad Air Academy, which has been endorsed by the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority to provide certification for remote drone use, reportedly said that they test the operators before they register them with the GCAA.
“We test the operator and his abilities, and if we see that he needs more training, we enter him in an intensive two-day course,” he was quoted as saying. “Any drone with a camera, no matter what size, needs to be registered and cleared. “We also make sure that the hobbyist knows the latest rules and regulations, so he knows what he’s in for when he wants to fly the drone.”
Business users must comply with different rules and are required to obtain both GCAA operating approvals and, when cameras are used, security clearance, reported The National.
Anyone using a drone without authorization could face up to one year in prison and a Dh50,000 fine, the report said.
