Beijing drone owners scramble

Drone owners in Beijing flocked to designated buy-back sites this week, looking to sell their devices for as much as possible ahead of an impending citywide ban.

“Beijing drone owners flocked to designated buy-back sites this week, looking to sell their devices for as much as possible ahead of an impending citywide ban.”

Citywide drone ban effective Nov 15

New rules in the Chinese capital ban not just the flying of unmanned aerial vehicles but also their possession or storage, meaning owners have until November 15 to get rid of their drones.

Buy-back subsidies available

Users can sell devices at approved buy-back points and receive a government subsidy of 30 per cent of the resale value, up to a maximum of 3,000 yuan (RM1,829), before October 31, and 15 per cent until November 14.

Alternative disposal options

Alternatively, they can recycle them for a subsidy of 200 yuan (RM122), or ship them out of Beijing free of charge.

Wu's perspective on ban

A 48-year-old drone owner surnamed Wu said the ban is reasonable and he could sell his drone for a reasonable amount despite the subsidy.

“I think (the ban) is reasonable. I can understand why the government wants to ensure safety and manage the airspace.”

Zhu's criticism of buy-back

A 60-year-old drone hobbyist called the buy-back scheme 'robbery' and said he lost thousands of yuan selling five drones.

“It’s made me lose a lot of money. This is my private property.”

Price drop for drones

Zhu said the large number of drones being bought back sent prices plummeting by as much as 40 per cent.

June aircraft crash incident

Airspace safety fears were raised in June when a light aircraft smashed into Beijing’s tallest building, killing the pilot and injuring 13 others.

Government cites security concerns

Beijing cited a need to 'safeguard the security of the capital' when it announced the complete ban on drone possession inside the city.