UAE Cabinet Resolution unveils a New Regulations for Unmanned Aircraft

UAE Cabinet Resolution unveils a New Regulations for Unmanned Aircraft

In response to Federal Decree by Law No. (26) of 2022, which regulates the civil use of unmanned aircraft, the UAE Federal Government has issued Cabinet Resolution No. (110) on the UAE Regulation for Unmanned Aircraft of 2023 ("Cabinet Resolution"). This resolution aims to elaborate on the governance rules for unmanned aircraft, including drones, across all emirates and free zones. The focus is on regulatory compliance, encompassing certification, documentation, and responsibilities for manufacturers and importers.

Key requirements are when the Unmanned aircraft, whether they are being imported, sold, assembled, manufactured, or operated in UAE airspace, are required to obtain approvals from both the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the relevant aviation authority in the respective emirate (Article 3(1)). Additionally, approvals are compulsory for any design modifications or major repairs of unmanned aircraft (Article 3(8)). A prerequisite for compliance includes obtaining certificates and labels from the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) (Article 3(2)). Furthermore, the submission of comprehensive technical documentation, covering product description, designs, drawings, technical specifications, and test reports, is mandated to MoIAT (Article 6). Unmanned aircraft are required to exhibit illustrative marks in both Arabic and English, aligning with standards established by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority and the Digital Government (TDRA) (Article 3(6)). Additionally, they must be fitted with a tracking system, which includes data transmission and has approval from both the Cyber Security Council and TDRA (Article 3(7)).

Article 4 delineates the comprehensive application procedures for acquiring a Certificate of Conformity and a Product Condition Statement. Adherence to the Standard Specifications outlined in Annex A is obligatory to obtain the Certificate of Conformity (Article 12). Importantly, importers and manufacturers of unmanned aircraft benefit from a grace period of 180 days starting from the effective date of the resolution to align with its provisions.