In Beijing, drone owners sell them ahead of ownership ban — Taipei Times
In Beijing, China, drone owners have begun turning in and selling their devices at designated buyback points ahead of the introduction of a ban on flying, owning and storing unmanned aircraft in the city. Owners must dispose of their drones by November 15, Taipei Times reports.
Buyback and subsidies
At several authorized points in different districts of the Chinese capital, people waited while staff assessed their devices and agreed on a price. There was a visible police presence near these locations. At a DJI flagship store in Beijing's business district, about a dozen people were standing in line to sell drones on Thursday morning.
Until October 31, owners can receive a state subsidy of 30% of the resale value, but no more than 3,000 yuan, or US$447.9. Until November 14, the subsidy will amount to 15%. A device can also be handed in for recycling for a subsidy of 200 yuan or shipped outside Beijing free of charge.
One owner surnamed Wu, who bought a drone six years ago for about 6,000 yuan, said he understood the authorities' desire to ensure security and control airspace. Based on a preliminary estimate in the official resale app, he hoped to receive at least 1,000 yuan.
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Owners' reaction and aviation safety
Not all owners agreed with the buyback terms. A drone enthusiast surnamed Zhu called the buyback scheme a robbery and said he had already sold five drones, losing thousands of yuan compared with the devices' original cost.
When announcing a complete ban on drone ownership in the city, Beijing cited the need to protect the capital's security. Airspace safety concerns emerged in June, when a light aircraft crashed into Beijing's tallest building. The pilot was killed, another 13 people were injured, and flight routes to one of the capital's international airports were temporarily disrupted.
According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China, 3.285 million drones were registered in the country at the end of last year. In most regions of China, registering ownership of unmanned aircraft is not mandatory.
