Saudi Arabia restricts drone operations following palace incident

Riyadh : Saudi Arabia has asked drone enthusiasts to obtain permissions first before letting their devices hit the sky. The decision comes a day after security agencies shot down a recreational drone near the king’s palace in Riyadh.

Amateur online video showed heavy gunfire in the capital’s Khozama district, triggering chances of political unrest in the country. A senior Saudi official confirmed that no one was injured while drone was shot down and the king Salman was not in the palace.

A security screening point had noticed the flying of a small unauthorized recreational drone, leading security forces to deal with it “according to their orders and instructions”, state news agency SPA had said.

An Interior Ministry spokesman said a law for the use of drones was in its final stage and called on users to obtain the necessary police clearance to use the devices “for particular reasons in permitted locations”, state news agency SPA reported.