Recreational drone use still ‘under review’ in Dubai

Dubai: Drone use for recreational purpose has not been allowed and is still “under review” in Dubai, it was announced on Wednesday.

In a post on its X account, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority said: “To ensure the safety of Dubai’s airspace, the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority would like to announce that the use of drones for recreational purposes is under review and remains subject to the applicable laws and regulations in Dubai. Stay tuned for further updates. Thank you for your cooperation in supporting our shared goal of protecting Dubai airspace.”

The latest post comes a day after the UAE lifted its conditional ban on drone use by individuals on January 7.

The Ministry of Interior, in coordination with the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA), and other relevant entities, announced that individuals will be allowed to operate drones under specific safety and regulatory conditions.

There are two main categories of UAS users in the UAE. The first category is individual or private users, who fly drones for leisure or as a hobby. The second category is organisations or operators, who use drones for commercial or non-commercial purposes.

Before flying a drone, recreational users must register it with the GCAA. Drones can only be flown during daytime and in good weather conditions, and they must be used strictly for recreational purposes, not for commercial activities.