Beijing bans drone possession after June's deadly skyscraper crash

Beijing will ban the possession and storage of drones and key drone components within the city from November 15, tightening restrictions on unmanned aircraft after a fatal small-plane crash in June.

The revised rules, announced by authorities this month, will require existing drone owners to remove their devices from Beijing by November 14.

The city will also offer subsidies to owners who sell their drones at designated buyback locations or scrap and recycle them, according to the Associated Press, citing the state-owned Beijing Daily.


The new restrictions follow a fatal accident in late June, when a small aircraft crashed into a skyscraper in Beijing. The pilot was killed and 13 people were injured in the incident.

Beijing had already introduced strict controls on drones earlier this year. Regulations approved in March and effective from May 1 required existing drone owners to register their devices using their real names and identities. Owners who met the requirements were allowed to retain their drones under strict conditions.

The latest rules go further by prohibiting not only the use of drones in unauthorised areas but also their possession or storage within Beijing's city limits. Authorities will be able to confiscate drones from people who violate the rules and impose fines on individuals and companies.

Beijing had also banned the sale of drones in the city from May and designated its entire administrative area as restricted airspace. Unauthorised drone flights are prohibited on security grounds. Bringing drones into the capital from outside the city, including by tourists, is also already prohibited.

Under the new measures, drone owners who do not want to sell their devices can move them outside Beijing before the November 15 deadline. Owners can also hand over drones for disposal and recycling in return for a smaller subsidy.

Bloomberg News reported that the government’s buyback programme will cap purchases at 3,000 yuan ($447) per drone. Residents will not be permitted to possess or store recreational drones or drone parts after the new rules take effect.

The restrictions are specific to Beijing, where authorities have imposed tighter security and airspace controls than in many other parts of China. Drone users can continue to fly the devices outdoors elsewhere in the country, although real-name registration is required.

The latest move effectively closes another avenue for recreational drone ownership in the Chinese capital, following the earlier restrictions on sales, registration and unauthorised flights.