200 hobbyists trained and certified

A total of 200 drone enthusiasts registered their drones for free at the two-day Unmanned Aerial System Forum in Dubai. Being held at the Palazzo Versace Hotel, drone owners had to take a written exam, as well as a practical flying test via a drone certification school, called Sanad Academy, in order to get their drone licence. The cost to register a drone and obtain a pilot licence can cost anywhere between Dh350 to 900. However, residents had a unique opportunity to register for free during the forum. Egyptian expat Mohammed Sayem, who owns a Phantom 3 drone told Khaleej Times: “The good thing is that they are registering it for free today. I didn’t know what the process for registering was, so I took advantage of today. We can get everything done today – the written and practical flying test. It’s very convenient.” Mohammed Aziz, CEO of Sanad Academy, said: “It was a briefing and certification session for pilots who already know the basics on how to fly. It was a refresher session on the rules and regulations, then a quick theory multiple choice test and then they were taken to the flight field to take a practical test. “The aim behind this because there are so many drone pilots in the country who are still not registered and certified and a lot of them who do not know the rules and regulations and were flying in places they weren’t supposed to fly. We wanted to overcome that along with Dubai police and DCAA. We’ve also started partnering with a lot of drone distributors and you’ll start to see these stickers on packaging of drones, that will have steps on how to fly legally and how to get registered.” Aziz is encouraging drone enthusiasts not to film over private property without obtaining the tenant or owner’s permission first. He also said that drone pilots should not be filming over roads, especially Sheikh Zayed Road, as drones have to be 15 metres away from buildings and they cannot film people in cars. “If you’re flying near and over someone’s house, just knock on their door and let them know that you’re flying over their house, but you won’t be filming them. Because people here tend to get really agitated if they even see a drone that’s not even filming them. From a legal perspective, even after you’re certified and you’re flying where you are allowed to but you’re operating near a private property, you still need to get permission from the resident there,” he said.

I cover outdoor events for a company so I use drones a lot. Paying for the registration can be expensive, especially with all of the training. So, it’s better for us if we come do it for free.” Mohammed Elkabany, Egyptian expat who owns a Phantom 3

I use drone as a hobby I usually film around Al Qudra or the desert. I didn’t know my drone had to be registered. Then this opportunity presented itself, where we can register for free.” Rezaan Hoffman, South African expat who owns a DGI Phantom 3

I’m happy I get to register for free. They asked me to answer 13 questions on an iPad and then I had to pass a practical test, where I fly a drone to show my skill sets.” Saif Ghalib, Indian expat who owns a DJI Mavic Pro drone