Emirates bans use of drones after Abu Dhabi attacks
The Ministry of Interior of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced a one-month ban on the use of drones and the practice of any sailing or gliding sports, following drone attacks by Yemeni Houthi rebels on Abu Dhabi on 17 September.
In a statement carried by the official Emirati news agency WAM, the interior ministry announced that the ban, which comes into force on Saturday, affects "all drone owners, practitioners or enthusiasts".
Also, "any type or form of light sport aircraft, including the practice of gliding or gliding sports" will not be allowed for one month, according to the decision taken in coordination with the UAE's General Authority of Civil Aviation.
According to the note, this measure has been imposed due to "erroneous practices that have been recorded recently", such as the use of drones in geographical locations not stipulated in official permits.
The ministry also called on the public to adhere to the instructions, which have been issued "to preserve lives, property and the environment" in the face of "the wrong and unsafe use of these hobbies".
In some UAE cities such as Abu Dhabi and Dubai, which are dominated by skyscrapers, it is relatively easy to obtain a permit to operate a drone in permitted areas, as long as it is not used to capture images or near airports or crowded areas.
The move comes after Yemen's Houthi rebels attacked Abu Dhabi International Airport and the nearby Mussafah industrial zone with drones and missiles in an action that left three dead and six wounded.
