Mohammed bin Rashid issues law amending some provisions of the law regulating drones in the Emirate of Dubai

In his capacity as Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, issued Law No. (10) of 2023 amending some provisions of Law No. (4) of 2020 regarding the regulation of drones in the Emirate of Dubai, as part of the work to ensure the highest levels of safety and security when operating this type of vehicle.

The law replaced the provisions of Articles (7), (20), (21), and (23) of Law No. (4) of 2020 with new texts related to the adoption of standards, designs and operation of airports for drones, infrastructure construction, and fuel and energy supply.

The new law, in its seventh article after the amendment, stipulates that the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, in coordination with the concerned authorities in the emirate, and in accordance with the legislation in force, undertakes a number of tasks, namely: determining and approving the specifications, standards and conditions that must be met at airports for drones, approving their engineering designs for government or non-government uses, their stations, facilities, and the necessary infrastructure, monitoring their implementation, and issuing certificates of completion related to them, provided that these designs are compatible And plans with the requirements of urban planning, and the procedures for regulating the movement of transportation and transport approved in Dubai.

In accordance with the law, the authority is also responsible for determining the bases and criteria for qualifying and accrediting contractors and consultants working in the construction of drone airports, stations, facilities and the necessary infrastructure for them, studying the engineering and technical obstacles facing the operations of drone airports, developing appropriate solutions for them, and preparing research related to engineering development and innovation in the fields of drone airports, infrastructure and operation.

The same article stipulates that DAEP, in coordination with the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and the concerned authorities, and within the limits of Dubai Aviation City specified in Law No. (10) of 2015 regarding Dubai Aviation City Corporation, shall carry out a number of tasks and powers, including: Developing engineering designs for airports for drones, intended for government use, and for all its stations, facilities and infrastructure, and supervising their implementation, in accordance with the legislation in force and the international standards adopted in this regard.

ENEC also approves the engineering designs of drone airports for non-governmental uses, and all its stations, facilities and infrastructure, and issues completion certificates related to them, in accordance with the legislation in force in this regard, in addition to determining the principles and criteria for qualifying and accrediting contractors and consultants working in the construction of drone airports, stations, facilities and the necessary infrastructure for them.

The law prohibits any person in Articles (20), (21) and (23) after the amendment from establishing the infrastructure to carry out the operations of drones, establishing or operating their airports or making any modification to them, or supplying drones with fuel or energy, except after obtaining a permit to do so from the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, and the authority issues this permit in coordination with the concerned authorities, and in accordance with the conditions and requirements approved by the authority and those authorities in this regard.

Any provision in any other legislation shall be repealed to the extent that it conflicts with the provisions of this Law, and shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall come into force from the date of its publication.