Saudi Interior Ministry announced on Sunday that efforts are underway to regulate the use of remote-controlled drones in wake of Saturday’s downing of a similar aircraft in a residential neighborhood in the capital Riyadh.
Ministry spokesman Mansour al-Turki said that the regulations are in their final stage, calling on drone enthusiasts to obtain the necessary permit that allows them to fly the aircraft in specific areas.
The permit can be obtained from their local neighborhood police, he explained. This will be a temporary measure until the regulations are finalized and announced.
A drone can fly up to 2,000 meters and at a speed of up to 50 kms per hour. Cameras can also be mounted on them, making them capable of photographing and filming vast areas, including prohibited ones.
This is why the Interior Ministry is taking measures to regulate drone use.
On Saturday, a security position in Riyadh’s al-Khuzama neighborhood noticed a small recreational drone flying over the area. The aircraft was not authorized to be there and the security forces were forced to deal with drone according to their orders and instructions.
An investigation has been opened in the incident.
A photography company owner, Abdullah al-Adhyani confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that film enthusiasts can obtain permits to fly drones from the concerned government and security authorities.
He revealed that companies that use drones for filming mainly have commercial purposes, while individuals use drone purely for personal ones.
He noted that drones range in size, with some as small as 20 centimeters and some as large as a meter.
Users can choose to mount a camera on the aircraft, he added. The drone can carry a weight of three to ten kilograms. The more weight it carries the slower it becomes.
