Drones Are Banned in Beijing Right Now, Here's Why

By That's Beijing, May 22, 2020

You’ll have to wait to get those aerial shots of Beijing. Thanks to the ongoing Two Sessions, drones are temporarily banned from being flown.

According to Abacus News, drones are prohibited in the capital until May 28. Both organizations and individuals will be barred from conducting any type of flying activity for sports, entertainment or advertising purposes.

The ban applies to any “unmanned vehicle,” or what authorities refer to as equipment with a radar cross-section no larger than two meters that can fly under 1,000 meters at speeds of up to 200 kilometers per hour. That means hot air balloons, paragliders and model airplanes are also forbidden.

Beijing police have issued similar “no-fly” rules ahead of the Two Sessions since 2005, according to Abacus News. In the past, authorities have banned selfie sticks, limited the number of foreign customers in restaurants and temporarily suspended AirBnB bookings due to the meetings.

Along with drone bans, Beijing residents can also expect increased security measures and strict traffic restrictions around the city this week and next.

Arguably the two biggest political events in China each year, the Two Sessions are the plenary sessions of the NPC and CPPCC, which are responsible for making national-level political decisions. Normally held in March each year, this year’s meetings were postponed to May 21 as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

[Cover image via Pexels]