Get your Dubai drone licence in five steps

It is a common sight to spot a drone hovering in Dubai's skies as commercial filmmakers and enthusiasts 'take to the skies' to capture the stunning landscape from a bird's eye view.
Last year, the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) made it compulsory to obtain a no-objection certificate before flying drones in Dubai's air space.  The announcement was made after recreational drones strayed into flight paths at Dubai airport leading to the grounding of passenger planes.
Here's how to apply for a commercial licence for flying drones in Dubai:
For commercial drones, usually used for filming, land surveying, construction progress etc., it is recommended to hire authorised companies to obtain the necessary permits from governmental authorities.  A No-Objection Certificate (NOC) needs to be obtained from the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA). This is obtained after registration, pre-assessment and prior approval from the related authority, usually Dubai Film and TV Commission (DFTC).
Here is the application process for the permit: 
1. Register your drone by sharing your company details on the DCAA website 
2. After registering your drone, login and apply for a No Objection Certification for aerial work by following details on this page. 
3. Share details of your drone flight - date, time, contact details of the drone operator.
4. Depending on the commercial activity of the drone flight, submit a copy of approval obtained from the relevant authority. For filming, this would usually be Dubai Film and TV Commission (DFTC) who in turn get approvals from the Ministry of Defence. Fees are around 3,300 and upwards depending on filming location. 
5. For reducing the processing time to five working days, you could pay an additional online fee of Dh5,100 to DCAA.
Once your permit has been issued, you could use your drone for aerial filming.
It is important to keep these do's and don'ts in mind before flying recreational or commercial drones in Dubai:
1. Do not forget to obtain a licence to fly your drone for both, commercial and recreational purpose.
2. 15 areas in the city have been marked as no-fly zones for these unmanned vehicles. Check them out before your flight. These include not operating drones near airports, residential, populated and restricted areas.
3. If you are flying a drone for recreational purpose, it should be flown within the perimeters of licensed aviation clubs and should be flown within the line of your sight.
 It is best to consult the DCAA for any queries regarding flying your drones rather than winding up on the wrong side of the law. The number to call DCAA on their website is 04-2162009.
Anita@khaleejtimes.com