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China will ban the sale of drones in Beijing and require users to obtain approval for all flights in the capital under new regulations taking effect on Friday.
Officials said the measures were introduced for public security reasons. The rules also prohibit bringing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or their core components into Beijing.
E-commerce platforms will no longer be allowed to ship drones to the capital, although owners who completed real-name registration of their devices before May 1 may still move them in and out of the city.
Drone users in Beijing, which has a population of about 22 million, will have three months after the rules take effect to register their devices with local police stations.
Several retailers had already removed drones from display shelves ahead of the changes. At a DJI outlet in central Beijing, an employee said the products were being packed for transfer to other cities.
DJI, the world’s largest drone manufacturer, dominates the Chinese market but now faces exclusion from sales in the capital under the new policy.
Authorities said Beijing’s airspace would be closed to all drone flights without prior approval. Illegal flights could attract fines of up to 10,000 yuan ($1,463), while offending devices may also be confiscated.
Individuals or organisations found selling drones or 17 listed core components also face penalties under the regulations.
Storage restrictions have also been tightened, with residents allowed to keep no more than three drones at a single location within Beijing’s sixth ring road.
The rules have drawn criticism online, with some users describing them as overly broad and saying they would sell their drones before the restrictions begin.
Staff at a drone-flying school in central Beijing said they were concerned about replacing damaged equipment or sourcing spare parts, though they hoped educational and sporting institutions would eventually receive exemptions.
The regulations provide for exemptions in special cases such as counter-terrorism, agriculture, education and sports.
When the rules were announced in March, municipal official Xiong Jinghua said Beijing faced greater low-altitude airspace safety challenges as the national capital, making tighter drone management necessary.
China has also strengthened nationwide drone regulations this year, with illegal flights now punishable by up to 15 days’ detention and operators required to transmit real-time flight data to authorities.
