Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry has issued a new directive on the use of recreational remote-controlled drones across the country’s airspace.
The directive has asked hobbyists to obtain necessary police permission before flying their drones until new regulations regarding their use are adopted.
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It follows an incident involving a recreational drone hovering near the king’s palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The drone was shot down by the security forces, reported Reuters.
Citing the interior ministry, Saudi Press Agency said: “The regulation for the use of remote-controlled drones is in its final stages.”
The ministry also noted that until the new regulations are put in place, drones will only be allowed to fly in ‘permitted sites’, reported Agence France-Presse.
In addition, unconfirmed videos on social media showed heavy gunfire in Saudi Arabia’s Khozama district on 21 April, triggering fears of possible political conflict in the country.
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By GlobalDataHowever, the government denies any major security violation and has ordered a thorough investigation into the incident.
Deployment of all types and sizes of remotely controlled drones has been banned in Saudi Arabia since 2015.
Imposed by Saudi civil aviation authority, the ban prohibits the flying of remotely controlled drones without prior permits.
