Beijing is set to significantly tighten regulations on drones. Starting in November, the Chinese capital is expected to effectively ban not only drone flights but also their storage and entry into the city.

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The scene of a light aircraft crash into a building in central Beijing in late June. The incident appears to have prompted Chinese authorities to move swiftly to ban even private drone ownership in the capital. / Social media post by an anonymous reader

According to reports by Chinese media including The Beijing News on Sept. 13, Beijing approved the “Beijing Regulations on the Management of Unmanned Aircraft,” which will take effect on Nov. 15.

The revised rules are relatively straightforward. First, the entire administrative area of Beijing will be designated as controlled airspace for drones. In principle, flying drones or owning and storing drones or key related components within the city will also be prohibited. Transporting or carrying drones into Beijing, as well as establishing storage facilities for them, will likewise be banned.

Beijing banned unauthorized drone flights in August last year. From May this year, it further tightened restrictions by prohibiting new sales, rentals and outside entry while also limiting storage. The latest revision goes a step further by banning the storage of drones already owned by residents.

There are exceptions. According to the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, drones used for special purposes such as counterterrorism, disaster relief and major events will be exempt. Exceptions also apply to education, research and development, manufacturing, agriculture and forestry, sports training and competitions. In such cases, relevant organizations must undergo procedures including safety assessments by authorities, while flights must comply with applicable national regulations.

Ahead of the new rules taking effect, Beijing has also introduced disposal options for residents who already own drones, including on-site purchases, scrapping and collection, and shipment outside the city by courier.

Those who sell their drones to designated companies by the end of next month will receive a subsidy equal to 30% of the purchase price, up to 3,000 yuan, or about 603,000 won. From Nov. 1 to 14, the subsidy will fall to 15% of the purchase price, with a maximum of 1,500 yuan.

Owners who choose not to sell their drones and instead have them scrapped or collected at designated locations will receive 200 yuan per unit through the end of October and 100 yuan per unit from Nov. 1 to 14.

The support applies only to privately owned drones whose information has been verified by public security authorities. Owners may also personally transport their drones out of Beijing by air, rail or road.

Until now, Beijing had imposed restrictions on so-called “low, slow and small” aircraft and airborne objects only during major national-level events. The restrictions covered objects flying below 1,000 meters, traveling at less than 200 kilometers per hour and having a radar cross-section of less than two square meters. They included drones, gliders, hang gliders, hot-air balloons, model aircraft and racing drones. The measures were intended to prevent potential incidents such as terrorist attacks.

Now, however, ownership itself will be banned year-round. Given that drones have become subject to the new restrictions, other types of flying objects are also likely to face similar treatment. The move appears to have been driven in large part by the shock caused by a light aircraft crashing into a building in central Beijing in late June.

                                                                                                          Hong Soon-do