Dubai’s Drone Law Shake-Up 2025: New Rules, No-Fly Zones & How to Stay Legal
January 7, 2025, the UAE partially lifts the nationwide recreational drone ban, but Dubai keeps its local hobby drone ban in place for now. From 2025, all drone pilots—recreational or commercial—must complete a GCAA-approved training and obtain a drone training certificate after a background security clearance of about 3–4 weeks. The regulatory framework rests on two authorities: the federal General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), with both sets of rules applying in Dubai. Recreational drone use in Dubai is suspended, with the DCAA halting new hobbyist permits; when allowed, hobbyists must register with the