Beijing bars flying pet birds, kites, drones for National Day parade

Drones, kites, balloons and lanterns are not allowed in seven downtown districts in Beijing from midnight of Saturday to midnight of October 1 to guarantee the safety of flight rehearsals and the military parade in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

Residents are also not permitted to release homing pigeons during the two weeks, said the Beijing municipal government notice released on Sunday.

The government ordered the Chinese racing pigeon association to strictly abide by the notice and regulate its members.

Police and grass-roots government organizations were ordered to carefully check for hidden dangers that might affect flight safety for the parade in the National Day holidays.

Anyone who violates the rule will be severely punished, the notice said.

A no-fly zone is a standard practice whenever Beijing hosts big events like the parade, Luo Yameng, a Beijing urban planning and eco-city expert, told the Global Times on Sunday.

“Since there will be more rehearsals as the National Day approaches, these measures can ensure both pilots’ and residents’ safety,” Luo said.

The no-fly zone will cause less inconvenience to Beijingers’ daily life compared with the traffic control, according to Luo.

Some sections of urban roads were blocked off for hours during the MidAutumn Festival holidays when a mass rehearsal for the military parade.

On China’s Twitter-like Sina Weibo, internet users expressed understanding for the decision and wished for a perfect parade on October 1.

“My friends in Beijing, could you please lend me your drone for about two weeks, considering you have no place to use it?” one user joked.

This year’s parade will be the largest in two decades and showcase China’s national and military development.