Beijing will ban the possession of drones within the city from November, as authorities move to further tighten regulations governing unmanned aerial vehicles.
The new rules, announced on Sunday, are scheduled to take effect on November 15.
Under the regulations, residents will be prohibited from possessing or storing drones within Beijing, while drone flights in the city’s airspace will also be banned.
The transportation of drones and their components into the Chinese capital will equally be prohibited.
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Authorities say they will provide subsidies to encourage drone owners to dispose of their devices. Owners of registered drones may also have the option of selling them back to the authorities.
Alternatively, residents will be offered free shipping to send their drones out of Beijing.
The regulations were formulated by the Beijing municipal government as part of measures to safeguard the security of the Chinese capital, a city with a population of about 22 million.
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Concerns over airspace safety were heightened in June when a small aircraft crashed into the city’s tallest skyscraper, killing the pilot and injuring 13 people.
Beijing had already introduced tighter drone controls in May, including a ban on drone sales and mandatory registration for existing owners.
However, the new regulations require all drone owners to either dispose of their devices or move them outside Beijing by November 15.
Those who fail to comply could face confiscation of their drones and fines.
Security experts say the sweeping restrictions reflect the political sensitivity of Beijing and the Chinese government’s determination to maintain tight control over the capital’s airspace.
Drew Thompson, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, said the ban could be linked not only to potential terrorist threats but also to counter-intelligence concerns, as drones can be used for surveillance.
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Drone flights in Beijing’s airspace already require prior permission from authorities.
Under the new rules, exemptions may be granted in certain circumstances, although authorities have not yet provided full details on the categories of drones or activities that may qualify.
The measures mark one of the most stringent restrictions on civilian drone ownership in a major global capital.
