Can you fly a drone to film or photograph in the United Arab Emirates?

The UAE suspended all drone flights from 28 February 2026 for regional airspace safety; commercial drone operations were cleared to resume on 30 June 2026. Check the GCAA's latest safety decisions before planning aerials.

Sources: GCAA: Safety Decision 2026-03, issue 02 · Arabian Business: UAE suspends drone operations · Skyknight: UAE drone ban lifted, 30 June 2026

Recreational drones of any weight, and their users, are registered with the GCAA before flying; hobby drones up to 5 kg fly only in approved green zones shown in the My Drone Hub app, below 400 feet and in daylight, and cameras may be used only in those zones. Professional operators need a GCAA operator authorisation (UOA, about 3 weeks), security clearance for any camera use, and a permission for each flight in red zones. In Dubai, commercial operators, drones and pilots are registered with the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, and pilots are licensed by a DCAA-certified training organisation.

Sources: GCAA: UAS registration · Dubai Civil Aviation Authority: UAS regulation (DCAR-UAS)

Checked against the official source on October 6, 2026.