Rules for Drone (UAV) Operation in United Arab Emirates (UAE)
- Read 3165 times
/28th April 2017, DRONE MARKET WATCHTM/ Main stakeholder responsible for drone (UAV) flight regulation in United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has regulations in place for adherence to safety and privacy standards, while using drones. These include not operating drones near airports, residential, populated and restricted areas. Main aviation regulation documents affecting drone (UAV) flights in United Arab Emirates are Law № 7 on Aviation Safety from 2015, NPA 04-2015 and CAR Part III General Regulations, Chapters 8 and 10.
Drone (UAV) operators should be certified under CAAP 16 and approved from Ministry of Interior. No-fly zones map for the airspace of UAE is at the moment in process of elaboration at the respective authorities. Drones for personal use should be flown within the perimeters of licensed aviation clubs and should be flown within the line of your sight.
Commercial drones are usually used for filming, land surveying, construction progress etc. and it is recommended to hire authorized companies who can obtain the necessary permits from governmental authorities. Commercial users of drones in Dubai need to obtain a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA). This is obtained after registration, pre-assessment and prior approval from the related authority
The UAE government has identified drones as a technology to assist with law enforcement and service delivery, and at the Government Summit (February 2014) launched the “Drones for Good” award to encourage the development of drone-related technology. There has been reported investment in the development of drones for delivery of small and time-sensitive items (such as medicines and identification documents), and Dubai Customs using drones for surveillance of suspicious activity and inspection of trade vessels in Dubai Creek.
Operators should also check for specific regulations that may apply to drone use in individual Emirates, and also taking into consideration the activities involved. For example, in Dubai, there are licensing requirements (under Dubai Executive Council Resolution No. 50 of 2014 concerning the Dubai Film and TV Commission) associated with various filming activities for media production purposes (including, for example, advertising). The certification of domestic drone operation and usage of drones will have a positive impact and it will enhance the growth of the national economy and give more attention to the civil aviation sector, according to the statement General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).
More information about civil and commercial use of drones (UAV) you may read here: Global Drone (UAV) Flight Regulations
