Saudi Arabia finalizing drone regulation

Saudi Arabia was finalizing regulation for the use of recreational drones, security spokesman of the Ministry of Interior said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) on Sunday.

“The regulation for the use of remote controlled drones is in its final stages,” the statement said.

Until the new guidelines are adopted drone enthusiast must obtain police permission to fly their devices in “permitted sites” only, the ministry said.

The statement comes a day after the Kingdom said it shot down an unidentified toy drone that hovered over Khuzama neighborhood in Riyadh.

A security screening point had noticed the flying of a small unauthorized recreational drone, leading security forces to deal with it “according to their orders and instructions,” SPA said.

The Saudi civil aviation authority in 2015 banned the use of remotely controlled drones “of all types and sizes” without prior permits.