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Drone brings Dubai Airport to a halt for an hour

Dubai - A Dubai Airports spokesperson confirmed that "the majority of planes already in the air were diverted to Dubai World Central airport".

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Air traffic was brought to a standstill for more than an hour at Dubai International Airport on Saturday, following the presence of an unauthorised drone in the airspace.
This is the second time such an incident has happened in less than two years in Dubai. And if calculations from Michael Rudolph, head of aviation regulation and safety at the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), are anything to go by, the incident may have just cost Dubai close to $69 million.
Speaking on the sidelines of the World Aviation Safety Summit earlier this year, Rudolph had said: "$1 million per minute - that's what it cost the economy of Dubai", when referring to an earlier incident, which saw the airspace above Dubai airport shut for 55 minutes.
On Saturday, air traffic was suspended between 11.36am and 12.45pm by Dubai Air Traffic Control Tower. A Dubai Airports statement said it was "due to unauthorised drone activity". As a result, a number of delays and flight diversions were sustained.
Speaking to Khaleej Times on Saturday afternoon, a Dubai Airports spokesperson confirmed that "the majority of planes already in the air were diverted to Dubai World Central Airport".

DXB airspace was closed due to unauthorised UAV activity for 69 minutes resulting in a number of diversions. Airspace reopened at 12.45
- Dubai Airports (@DubaiAirports) June 11, 2016

However, he could not confirm if the Dubai Police had identified the drone's operator at that time, and was unable to comment on the amount of flights affected by the incident.
Closed for a total of 69 minutes, the Dubai Airports said in the statement: "Dubai Airports is working closely with its stakeholders to restore operations and minimise customer inconvenience. Safety is our top priority and Dubai Airports reminds all unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) operators that any and all activities are not permitted unless authorised by regulatory authorities and are strictly prohibited in restricted areas, including within 5km of any airport or landing area."
Back in January last year, a similar incident brought air traffic to a standstill for 55 minutes at DXB Airport. The incident - which lead to a reported estimated loss of $55 million - was blamed on public misuse of recreational drones.
At that time, Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, Director-General of the DCAA and Chief Executive of Dubai Air Navigation Services, warned that irresponsible recreational activities with UAVs could lead to serious consequences.
Posing both a serious threat to the safety of air navigation and passengers, he warned that legal action would be taken against offenders.
But Dubai isn't the only city to be plagued by offending drone operators. Back in April this year, a drone struck a British Airways plane, which was attempting to land at Heathrow Airport in London.
In the US, aviation authorities have also reported receiving almost daily complaints about drones flying near airplanes or close to airports without permission.
Dubai gets strict
Drone users caught flying their drones in sensitive no-fly zones are now liable to face fines of up to Dh1 million in Dubai. The DCAA has set various no-fly zones and zones with restricted access across the emirate.
Penalties for unauthorised access will range from Dh500 to Dh1 million.
What the law says
In April 2015, Dubai introduced more restrictions on the use of drones as part of revised aviation laws.
Law No?7 of 2015 was laid down to enhance airspace safety and security. It authorises the DCCA to specify the airspace for general aviation and the rules governing the use of laser, fireworks, light beams and drones.
The law regulates the activities of the civil aviation industry, applies best practices to ensure the optimum use of Dubai's airspace and prohibits all acts that may endanger aircraft, airports or any aviation services facilities.
Dubai is also set to become the first place in the world to implement real-time tracking software to monitor the operations of commercial drones in restricted airspace.
In April, Khaleej Times reported on the Exponent Portal software - which was publicly unveiled for the first time at a live demonstration at the World Aviation Safety Summit in Dubai.
It will allow DCAA officials and other local authorities to track the location, speed and height of drones, as well as view and record the material being collected by the drone's on-board camera.
Residents not deterred
Saturday's temporary closure did little to stir up panic among residents in Dubai.
When @flightradar24 tweeted: "Unknown problem at Dubai Airport right now", many tweeted back, to shed more light on the incident.
@99vance tweeted: "Nothing serious. Relax guys"
With others, like @tonybalogna, tweeting: "Flights grounded due to a drone in the area. Looks to be open again," and @_wheNofficial saying: "IF YOU listened to LiveATC it was an unidentified civillian Drone at the airport."

Be drone smart1. DON'T FLY NEAR AIRPORTS: Drones can interfere with commercial aircraft, and can cause severe safety issues in some cases. General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) regulations prohibit the flying of drones near, around or over airports. 2. DO OBTAIN PROPER PERMITS: According to GCAA regulations, all drones must be registered with the authority. If you are flying a drone in Dubai for commercial reasons, then you will need to obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the DCAA. This can only be obtained after you are registered with and approved by a related authority, usually Dubai Film and TV Commission (DFTC). 3. DON'T FLY OVER RESIDENTIAL AREAS: For reasons of privacy, the federal and municipal authorities forbid the flying of drones over residential areas. 4. DO OBTAIN PERMISSION FOR PHOTOGRAPHS: Privacy comes into play here too, as do restrictions on snapping some government buildings. Check with the GCAA or DCAA for more details. 5. DO ENSURE IT IS IN EYESIGHT: Drones must always be kept within visual sight of the operator, only fly during daylight and at no higher than 400ft (122m) above ground level. 6. DO INFORM OF AN ACCIDENT: If there is an accident, the operator must inform the GCAA. 7. DO ENSURE UPMOST SAFETY WHEN FLYING: For the protection of people, the drone cannot fly within 200 metres of a person or building and cannot be flown overhead of groups of people at any height. 8. DO FLY WITHIN AN AVIATION CLUB: Drones weighing more than 5kg should be flown within the perimeters of licensed aviation clubs. 9. DO SEEK ADVICE FROM THE GOVERNMENT: To ensure you do not commit any offences as an active drone operator, your best bet is to consult with the DCAA or GCAA first.

When a drone entered airspace at Dubai Airport in 2015

kelly@khaleejtimes.com