The United Arab Emirates will stop importing drones into the country without unique serial numbers.
UAE will stop importing unmanned aerial vehicles that do not meet the new requirements, said a senior employee of the Office of Standardization and Metrology (ESMA).
In May, ESMA approved new regulatory standards that include a drone surveillance system.
“Our new standards will come into force in mid-September, after which all drones will need a unique serial number. Therefore, no unmanned aerial vehicles can enter the country without meeting our requirements, ”said Essa Al Hashmi of ESMA.
He added that devices that do not have a certificate of compliance with specifications issued by ESMA and other interested parties, such as the Ministry of the Interior, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority and the Civil Aviation Authority, will be banned.
Drones designed for research and security can be exempt from new requirements.
According to al-Hashmi, all drones that are currently available for sale in UAE stores will remain on the shelves until the beginning of next year, but after that they must be brought into line with new standards.
Al-Hashmi added that fines in the event of any injury or accident will reach 3 million dirhams ($ 817.4 thousand). The punishment applies to both manufacturers and users.
