The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced a ban on the operation of all kinds of drones as well as light sports aircraft, across the country, Khaleej Times has reported. The GCAA has said that compliance with the ban was mandatory, given the current circumstances.
The authority also warned of legal action in case of failure to follow the ban. The civil aviation authority has also gone ahead and urged the public to cooperate. "It will be essential to ensure the safety and security of everyone," the GCAA has said in a statement.
GCAA, on March 1, has already suspended flight permits for gliders, drones, and hobby aircraft of all kinds for one week at a time. There will be a weekly assessment of the situation, and a decision to keep the ban or lift it will be taken accordingly.
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Since the beginning of the war between Iran and the United States-Israel on Feb. 28, the UAE has come under immense pressure with repeated airstrikes carried out deep within its territory by Iran.
Iran has hit targets-including airports, oil refineries, residential areas, desalination plants, and US bases-deep inside the UAE and other Gulf countries, including Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
While Iran said it was only hitting US bases in the Emirates, the authorities in the country have maintained they do not want to be pushed into any escalation or war. The UAE has told the United Nations (UN) that its bases will not be used in strikes against Iran.
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The Iranian strikes against the targets in the UAE have thrown life out of gear, while disrupting businesses and enforcing a closure of airspace in the country. Dubai, in the UAE, is also facing an imminent food shortage, given that the country imports its food through the Strait of Hormuz, which has remained closed since the beginning of the war.
Ironically, Dubai has been talking about making air taxis operational from at least four locations across the city, including the international airport, as recently as Feb. 19.
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