Law News 16 August 2025 - 28 September 2025

DJI Matrice 4E vs 4T vs Mavic 3T vs 3E: Ultimate Enterprise Drone Showdown (Thermal Tech, RTK & More Revealed)

U.S. Judge Deals Major Blow to DJI – Could Your Drone Be Next?

Case Background: Pentagon’s 1260H Blacklist Since 2022, the Pentagon has kept a running “1260H list” of foreign firms linked to China’s defense sector. Companies on this list aren’t outright banned from sales, but they lose government contracts and gain a stigma of being national-security risks dronedj.com dronedj.com. DJI – the world’s largest drone maker – was added in 2022 under the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) after the DoD decided it met criteria for a “military-civil fusion” company. DJI immediately suited up in court (October 2024) to clear its name, arguing it wasn’t owned/controlled by China’s military and only makes

28 September 2025

Drones in Antarctica: The Surprising Legal Roadblocks to Your Polar Flight

Key Facts at a Glance International Treaty Framework Protecting Antarctica Antarctica is governed by a cooperative international regime known as the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS). The cornerstone is the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, which set aside Antarctica for peaceful purposes and scientific research. Under this treaty, no country can claim new sovereignty there, and all territorial claims are held in abeyance. Notably, the Treaty allows any signatory nation to send observers and conduct inspections anywhere in Antarctica (including aerial inspections) to ensure compliance frontiersin.org. This open-access principle means, for example, countries can overfly each other’s research stations – a provision

16 September 2025

Antarctica · Drones · Law · Technology · Travel

Banned in Banff: 2025 Drone Laws and $25,000 Fines Every Visitor Should Know

Key Takeaways Drone Use in Banff National Park: General Prohibition Banff National Park completely forbids recreational drone flying. This rule isn’t unique to Banff – all 37 of Canada’s national parks are officially “no drone zones” for the public parks.canada.ca advnture.com. In practical terms, this means visitors may not launch, fly, or land an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) anywhere within the park’s boundaries for fun or personal purposes. The policy has been in effect for several years and stems from serious concerns about safety and wildlife. Drones might seem harmless, but Parks Canada has found they can pose risks to

11 September 2025

Canada · Drones · Fines · Law · Travel

Flying a Drone in Ljubljana: 10 Surprising Laws and Rules You Must Know in 2025

Overview: EU Drone Rules in Slovenia Slovenia is part of the EU single aviation market, so it adheres to the EASA drone regulation framework that took effect on December 31, 2020 drone-traveller.com. This framework classifies all drone operations into three categories based on risk: Crucially, Slovenia makes no legal distinction between recreational and commercial drone use under this EASA system drone-traveller.com. If you’re flying for fun or for business, the same rules apply according to the operation’s category and risk level. In other words, commercial drone operations are allowed in Slovenia so long as you comply with the EASA categories

7 September 2025

2025 · Drones · Law · Ljubljana · Travel

Drone Laws in Warsaw, Poland (2025) – New Rules, No‑Fly Zones, and Massive Fines Revealed

Key Facts Poland’s Drone Laws Overview (Applicable in Warsaw) Poland’s drone regulations combine EU-wide rules with specific national requirements. Since 31 December 2020, Poland has adopted the common EASA framework (EU Regulations 2019/947 and 2019/945) ts2.tech. These rules categorize operations by risk level instead of hobby vs. commercial purpose. In essence, whether you’re flying for fun or for business in Warsaw, the same core rules apply – what matters is the drone’s weight and how/where you fly ts2.tech. Three categories of operations are defined by EASA: Warsaw pilots predominantly will operate under the Open category for both recreational and standard

31 August 2025

Drones · Law · Poland · Regulations · Technology

Vancouver Drone Laws 2024–2025: New Rules, No‑Fly Zones, and How to Avoid Hefty Fines

Drones weighing 250 g to 25 kg must be registered and operated by a licensed pilot under Transport Canada rules, while micro drones under 250 g are exempt from registration and licensing. The City of Vancouver Park Board bylaws prohibit taking off or landing a drone in city parks, beaches, and green spaces without permission, and no public parks are currently designated for drone use (examples include Stanley Park, Kitsilano Beach, and Queen Elizabeth Park). In 2025, the Metro Vancouver Regional District updated bylaws to forbid drone take-off or landing in regional parks without a park permit, covering sites like

24 August 2025

Drones · Law · Regulations · Safety · Vancouver

Montreal Drone Laws 2025: New Restrictions, No-Fly Zones & Shocking Fines

Montreal bans recreational drones in all city parks, with takeoff, landing, or flight in parks prohibited without special permission. The Old Port of Montreal prohibits drone use on its site unless authorized by the Corporation, so flying around Old Montreal/Old Port requires permission. Olympic Park bans drones on its grounds at all times unless you have written authorization from Parc Olympique administration. Montreal city property requires authorization for any drone takeoff or landing, making launches from sidewalks or public squares potentially unlawful without permission. Canada’s national parks are no‑fly zones, and drones cannot take off or land inside Parks Canada

23 August 2025

Drones · Fines · Law · Montreal · Regulations

Drone Law in Doha: What You Must Know Before You Fly

In Qatar, drone operations require prior authorization from the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA); unapproved flights are illegal. Only Qatari citizens and permanent residents may operate drones; foreign visitors are not permitted to fly. Every drone flight requires a QCAA permit, and owning a drone does not grant the right to fly. Recreational drone use is tightly restricted to Qatari nationals or residents who obtain a QCAA permit for each flight, typically within designated clubs such as the RC Sport Center, and must stay below 400 feet, in daylight, and within line of sight. Commercial drone use is allowed only

21 August 2025

Aviation · Drones · Law · Qatar · Technology

Zurich Drone Laws 2025 – 10 Things You Must Know Before You Fly

Zurich follows Swiss federal drone law under FOCA; there are no separate Zurich drone laws, though local rules may restrict use near parks, events, or sensitive sites such as the Kasernenareal. There is no distinction between recreational and commercial drone use in Switzerland; both follow the same rules, including registration, pilot testing, insurance, altitude limits, and no-fly zones. Drones with cameras or weighing 250 g or more must be registered in FOCA’s UAS operator database, yielding an operator ID such as CHEXXXXXXXX that must be visibly affixed to the drone. Drones 250 g or more require an online A1/A3 basic

20 August 2025

Drones · Law · Regulations · Safety · Zurich

Shocking 2025 Moscow Drone Ban: Complete Guide to Russia’s New UAV Laws

Drones over 150 g must be registered with Rosaviatsia within 10 days of import or purchase, or face fines. Registrants must provide drone specs (mass, serial number, manufacturer) and owner ID to obtain a unique UAV registration number. Liability insurance is mandatory for all UAV owners in Russia. Drones up to 30 kg must be registered; toys under 0.15 kg are exempt. Commercial drone operators must hold a Rosaviatsia pilot certificate and obtain a separate aerial filming permit from the Transport Ministry. In March 2022, the weight threshold was lowered from 250 g to 150 g to capture more small

19 August 2025

2025 · Drones · Law · Russia · Security

Kyiv’s Drone Law Crackdown: 2025 Guide to Permits, No‑Fly Zones & Wartime Rules

Recreational drones weighing 20 kg or less are exempt from state registration and do not require a pilot license in Ukraine. Commercial drones, regardless of weight, must be entered in the State Register of Civil Aircraft and require an operator certificate and a certificate of airworthiness. There is no dedicated drone pilot license or exam for civilian UAV operators in Ukraine. Ukraine currently has no Remote ID requirement for drones. The general maximum altitude is 120 meters above ground, but 50 meters in controlled or sensitive airspace near airports or special zones. Drones must be kept in visual line of

18 August 2025

Drones · Law · Regulations · Technology · Ukraine

Brazil’s Drone Laws 2025: Ultimate Guide to Regulations, Rules & Penalties

ANAC is Brazil’s primary regulator for drones, issuing RBAC-E No. 94 and overseeing registrations, pilot licensing, and airworthiness certification. DECEA manages airspace and flight permissions through the SARPAS system, including required distances from airports of 5.4 km at low altitude and about 9 km when flying up to 120 m. ANATEL regulates drone radio equipment and requires ANATEL certification labels on controllers and transmitters, with non-certified gear subject to fines or seizure. Drones in Brazil are classified by weight into Class 3 up to 25 kg, Class 2 from 25 kg to 150 kg, and Class 1 above 150 kg.

16 August 2025

Brazil · Drones · Law · Regulations · Technology