World taz
Air traffic in China: Drones are no longer allowed in Beijing
As of today, unmanned flying objects are taboo for private individuals in the Chinese capital. Anyone who still has any now faces fines. more...
Deutsch (original) ·Auto-translated to English
afp | A ban on private drone ownership came into force in Beijing on Sunday. For safety reasons, the ownership and storage of unmanned aircraft is now prohibited in the entire 16,400 square kilometer area of the Chinese capital region. The transport of drones and their components is no longer permitted. The affected area is approximately the size of the federal state of Thuringia.
The drone ban was announced in September. Drone owners had until Sunday to sell their drones at collection points or online or take them out of town. The city administration had already banned the sale of drones in Beijing in May.
Beijing is the seat of the Chinese government and the headquarters of the Communist Party, and high-ranking politicians live in the capital. In June, a plane accident sparked safety concerns: a small plane flew into the city's tallest skyscraper, killing the pilot and 13 other people.
People who own drones despite the ban face a fine and the confiscation of their aircraft. Exceptions to the drone ban apply, for example, to anti-terror operations, disaster relief or use in agriculture or for scientific purposes.