ADX:ETISALAT 7 July 2025 - 7 March 2026

Abu Dhabi’s drone regulations operate under a combination of federal and local authorities. At the federal level, the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority is the primary regulator for civil aviation, including unmanned aircraft systems. The GCAA sets nationwide rules for drone registration, pilot licensing, and airspace safety. In 2022, the UAE issued Federal Decree-Law No. 26/2022 to establish a unified framework for civil drone use across the country pages.dmt.gov.ae pages.dmt.gov.ae. This law aims to ensure safe drone operations and clearly define the competencies of authorities esqadvocates.com esqadvocates.com. It was followed by detailed regulations and a new unified drone platform launched in late 2024.