MUSCAT, JAN 5 - Use of remote control aircraft, drones and any other flying object without obtaining approval from the competent authority will be seen as a criminal offense. In a clear warning on Sunday, Oman’s Public Prosecution said that the offenders will be liable to one-year imprisonment and a fine of RO10,000. It may be noted that Muscat Airport had to suspend operations temporarily twice in the last two months due to suspected drone activity.
On December 24, several inbound flights were diverted to other locations in the region while outbound flights were delayed due to the closure of the runway during the peak hours between 11.09 pm and 12.45 am.
Flight operations at Muscat International Airport were temporarily suspended on November 17, 2019 also due to the confirmed visibility of a drone over the airport airspace.
As per Article 27 of the New Civil Law issued by the Royal Decree 76/2019, use of remote control aircraft, drones or any other flying object, without proper approval from the competent authority
Only companies will be allowed to operate unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as drones, in the Sultanate.
According to Public Authority for Civil Aviation (PACA) on Sunday, a permit is required for all drone flights in Oman, and it will be granted only to companies for commercial purposes.
“Companies should get a no objection certificate from competent authorities before applying for a drone permit from PACA”, it said.
The other authorities involved in granting of permission include the Royal Oman Police (ROP), Royal Oman Airforce (RAFO) and National Survey Authority (NSA).
After getting a certificate from these authorities, a company can approach PACA with the required application form and fees for the permit.
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