Beijing will ban the possession and storage of drones within the city from November 15, tightening restrictions on unmanned aircraft after a series of new security measures introduced this year.
The revised rules, announced on Sunday, will prohibit residents and businesses from keeping drones or key drone components within Beijing’s administrative boundaries. Authorities will be able to confiscate equipment from people who fail to comply and impose fines on individuals and companies.
The latest restrictions follow rules introduced in March that took effect on May 1. Those measures prohibited drone sales in Beijing and required existing owners to register their devices using their real names. Unauthorised drone flights were already prohibited because Beijing’s airspace is classified as restricted.
The new rules also give existing owners options before the November deadline. Beijing authorities plan to provide subsidies for drones returned through designated buyback points. Owners can alternatively scrap and recycle their equipment with a smaller subsidy or move it outside the city.
The decision comes after a fatal aviation accident in late June, when a small aircraft crashed into a Beijing skyscraper. The pilot was killed and 13 people were injured. The crash occurred amid already strict controls over low-altitude airspace in the capital.
Beijing has taken a stricter approach to drones than many other parts of China. People can still operate drones outdoors elsewhere in the country under registration requirements, while bringing drones into Beijing from outside the city is already prohibited, including for tourists.
