UAE bans flying hobby drones after rebel drone attack

The United Arab Emirates has banned flying hobby drones following a recent drone attack near the capital Abu Dhabi. The Ministry of the Interior has announced this. The terrorist attack killed three people and blew up several oil tanks.

hobby drones Banned after rebel attack

The attack, which used drones equipped with explosives and missiles, took place Monday last week. The international Airport and a refinery were hit. The attack was later claimed by Houthi rebels from Yemen. Three people were killed and six injured.

In response to the attack, the Interior Ministry has decided to temporarily ban the recreational use of drones. It is also temporarily prohibited to fly in sports aircraft. Anyone who violates the ban risks a prison sentence. Only companies that have the correct permits are allowed to carry out drone flights.

The press release does not mention last week's attack. Instead, the ministry says that “the decision was made in response to recently observed abuses involving users entering areas where such activities are prohibited”.

Stimulating drone applications

The drone ban thwarts recent government initiatives to broadly encourage the use of drones and electrically powered air taxis. On January 12, the Ministry of Transport held another meeting to discuss regulations governing the use of drone taxis. For example, the city council of Dubai foresees a major role for Urban Air Mobility when it comes to smart city projects, but then the Legal framework must be properly arranged.

Let us know what you think about the ban on hobby drones in the UAE in the comments below. You can read more articles on drone incidents here on DroneXL.co

This article first appeared on Dronewatch and is written by Wiebe de Jager who is also a DroneXL contributor.

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