+34
Beijing has imposed a total ban on drone possession inside the capital, forcing owners to sell or move their devices by November 15 and sparking rare public frustration over low resale values and property rights.
Beijing authorities have imposed a total ban on the possession of drones inside the capital, forcing owners to sell their devices or move them out of the city by November 15.
The rules, announced this month, have sparked a rare venting of frustration from some owners in the usually tight-lipped city. For the past fortnight, a steady procession of drone owners have queued at drone maker DJI stores and other designated buyback sites across Beijing to offload their devices. Complaints have circulated about low resale values and property rights. At authorised buyback stores, residents are reluctantly surrendering their drones to comply with the new ban.
Owners Forced To Sell Drones Amid Ban
A man was seen negotiating the sale of his drone at an official buy-back retailer in Beijing ahead of the citywide ban coming into effect on November 15. My freedom has been restricted, said Li, a pseudonym, who spoke outside a store in the city financial district. This is not a fair and normal request for the government to ask citizens to take.
It is my property; I do not think it is fair for me to have to sell it. Li said he originally paid about 5000 yuan, or 1060 dollars, for his drone and only used it to take photos of friends and family and while travelling. It was now a write-off, he said. Chinese drone maker DJI is the global leader in consumer drones, but it can no longer sell the devices in Beijing.
The September regulations extend and even override drone rules introduced only in May. Those earlier measures banned new drone sales and imposed a no-fly zone over Beijing without prior approval, but had allowed existing owners to keep their devices as long as they registered them with police. To comply with the May rules, DJI and other sellers had to clear out stock from the shelves of their Beijing stores.
Beijing Security Clashes With Tech Growth
The situation underscores an underlying tension in government policies, as Beijing tightens security measures over the capital while championing the low-altitude economy as one of the country key strategic industries. Drones can still be purchased and flown outdoors in other parts of the country, provided they are registered with authorities. In Shenzhen, a tech hub in southern China, drones regularly buzz over the central business district skies, delivering food to designated sites operated by takeaway giant Meituan.
To cushion the blow, Beijing authorities are offering subsidies to owners who resell or recycle their devices through designated buyback platforms. Residents can also ship the drones out of the capital free of charge, or sell them to buyers in other Chinese cities on second-hand trading sites. Despite the November deadline, some owners have reported being contacted by police urging them to offload their devices more quickly.
Others have taken to Chinese social media sites to lament low-ball offers on the second-hand market as buyers capitalise on the forced sales. I am really reluctant to let it go, one owner commented on Red Note, a video platform. It comes with three batteries, and the system has only gone through a single charge cycle.
Drone Owners Struggle With Low Resale Values
A lot of people do not see the value; they just treat it like a joke and are looking to snap it up at a bargain-basement price. I am speechless, said another owner who sold their device for a quarter of its retail value. Literally bought it last August and flew it less than five times. Selling to individuals outside Beijing can come with other hurdles.
Li said he received a text message from his local residents committee, neighbourhood groups that are often closely affiliated with the Communist Party, advising that if he transferred the drone outside the city, he would need to provide photographic evidence of the buyer holding the drone in front of a prominent landmark. If I send it to Shanghai, the person would have to hold it on the Bund, or somewhere like that, he said.
At another buyback shop in Beijing, 26-year-old Chen said he was offered about 1400 yuan, or 300 dollars, for his four-year-old DJI drone, about 125 dollars less than he might get via a second-hand online retailer. But if the second-hand buyer disputed the purchase after receiving the drone, Chen would not be able to have the drone sent back to him in Beijing, potentially leaving him with nothing.
Policymakers Face Pressure To Ease Rules
Chen said he was dismayed by the policy, but believed it was trying to regulate irresponsible behaviour by drone flyers in the past. That eventually led to the situation we have now, where we are no longer really able to fly drones even as a personal hobby. I think that is quite a shame, he said, giving only his surname. We hope the government can continue improving the regulations, so that people can have ways to fly them.
theage
brisbanetimes:This story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
DJI Buyback Drone Owners Low-Altitude Economy November 15 Deadline
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
US and China Agree to Cut Tariffs and Expand Cooperation on AI and TradeThe United States and China reached agreements to reduce tariffs on $30 billion in non-sensitive goods, establish a trade council, extend a trade truce and launch an AI dialogue in November. The countries also planned stronger military crisis communications and discussed shared support for major Asia-Pacific and global summits.
Read more »
‘Work is getting harder and harder to find’: On the street with China’s gig workersBeijing’s largest temporary job market is one way to gauge the economic reality of ordinary people at the bottom of what analysts increasingly refer to as China’s K-shaped economy.
Read more »
One Nation candidates could contribute $633,000 to Victorian election campaignOne Nation Victoria says 1,209 people expressed interest in contesting the November state election, with many former local representatives reporting that applicants had to pay non-refundable fees and contribute their own money to campaign. The party could receive up to $633,000 from candidate application, membership and campaign fees.
Read more »
RBA Set for Fourth Rate Hike to 4.6% Amid Economic UncertaintyThe Reserve Bank of Australia is expected to raise the cash rate by 25 basis points tomorrow, reaching its highest level since November 2011, as markets price in a fourth increase this year despite the absence of a full quarterly economic forecast.
Read more »