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New rules announced by Beijing's municipal government on Sunday will prohibit residents and companies from possessing drones anywhere within the city, adding to restrictions that already block the sale of the devices, with the measure set to take effect on Nov. 15.
Under the revised regulations, individuals and companies in Beijing will be barred from possessing or storing drones or their key components anywhere within the city's administrative area, which has already been designated as restricted airspace.
Transporting drones or drone components into Beijing from outside the city, including by tourists, is also prohibited, a rule that was already in place before the latest announcement. Authorities said the measures are intended to safeguard the security of the capital.
The tightened rules follow a fatal accident in late June, when a small aircraft crashed into one of Beijing's tallest skyscrapers, killing the pilot and injuring 13 others. The crash raised concerns about airspace safety in the city, which has a population of about 22 million.
Beijing had already prohibited the sale of drones under regulations approved in March that took effect on May 1. Those rules also required existing drone owners to register their devices using their real names and identities, though they were permitted to keep their registered drones under strict conditions. The new rules go further, requiring all drone owners to dispose of their devices or move them out of the city by Nov. 15 or face confiscation and fines.
To help owners comply, Beijing authorities will offer subsidies for people to sell their drones at designated buyback locations, according to the state-owned newspaper Beijing Daily. Owners will also have the option to scrap and recycle their devices in exchange for a smaller subsidy, or to ship them out of Beijing free of charge before the deadline.
Outside the capital, drone users in other parts of China can still fly the devices outdoors, though real-name registration is required. Beijing has traditionally enforced more stringent security rules than other Chinese cities.
Flying drones within Beijing's airspace already requires prior authorization, and under the new regulations, exemptions may still be granted for specific purposes such as counterterrorism, agriculture, disaster relief and research.
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