The UAE has compiled a list of technical requirements that must be met to register drones for recreational or commercial use.
Abdulla Abdul Qader Al Maeeni, director-general of the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (ESMA), said the UAE would begin implementing the requirements starting next month.
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“Traders and suppliers have three months to comply with the regulation in the UAE,” he added.
Al Maeeni said the UAE’s regulation would “legalise” the drone market, adding that ESMA’s requirements include the provision of a central mechanism to track any drone in the UAE market or airspace through a serial number.
ESMA’s technical requirements will regulate the circulation of drones in the country, and seek to prevent the negative consequences that may arise from using drones in unsafe or prohibited areas.
The list of technical requirements stipulates that all drone products carry “an explanatory mark and warning in the guidance manual, in Arabic and English” languages, WAM reported.
The report added: “It shall also include the requirements for safe operation, provided by the requirements of the General Authority for Civil Aviation, and the frequency of the aircraft shall be compatible with the TRA [Telecommunications Regulatory Authority] allocation.
“All products must be certified by the manufacturer, bearing the factory’s signature and stamp, and include detailed information on the manufacturer’s address, brand, and classification of the purpose of using the drone commercial, industrial, recreational, service.
“It should also specify the technical characteristics of the product regarding weight, electromagnetic compatibility, the property of satellite positioning, bandwidth, speed, and other details,” WAM‘s report added.
Drone technology is rapidly gaining prominence in the UAE’s construction sector.
READ: DEWA enhances drone fleet to aid in infrastructure
Last July, Dubai Municipality has announced that it will be making use of drone technology for a new service targeted at the real estate sector.
In April 2016, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) expanded the capabilities of its drone fleet as part of its Sirb initiative.