Dubai International is one of the busiest airports in the world. Any delays at DXB can have a knock on effect that can be felt across the globe. Drone disruptions are thus the last thing that the airport needs but it had to put up with that earlier this week when departures were halted for some time after a drone sighting.
Dubai Airports confirmed that departures were halted from 10:13 am to 10:45 am local time over “suspected drone activity.” The drone sighting didn’t affect arriving flights as they were able to land. The airport also reminded people through its social media channels that “flying drones without obtaining permission is subject to legal liability as per UAE laws.”
It’s an all too familiar story of drones causing havoc at airports. London’s Gatwick airport had a particularly bad drone issue at the height of the holiday season last year as it was closed for almost two days because of rogue drone activity. That’s why manufacturers like DJI are now working to further improve the geofencing of their drones around airports.
A statement provided by DXB to the New York Times mentions that “Dubai Airports has worked closely with the appropriate authorities to ensure that the safety of airport operations is maintained at all times and to minimize any inconvenience to our customers.”
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