Belarus bans individuals from importing drones

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has signed a decree banning individuals from importing, storing, trafficking, operating and manufacturing civilian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into Belarus.

The decree stipulates that the import, storage, circulation, operation, and manufacture of civilian UAVs are only permitted for organizations and individual entrepreneurs engaged in professional activities in Belarus, Caliber.Az reports, citing Ukrainska Pravda.

To do so, they need to obtain a permit from the Aviation Department of the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Belarus.

The decree also provides for the creation of an automated information system for the State registration of civilian UAVs owned by legal entities and (or) private entrepreneurs.

Residents of Belarus have six months to sell their drones to organisations or transfer them to an "authorised organisation designated by the government" for storage.

As for storage and disposal, these regulations will come into force six months following the decree's publication. During this transitional period, individuals within Belarus have the option to sell their drones to organizations or individual entrepreneurs or transfer them to a government-designated storage facility.

This move by President Lukashenko is framed as a measure to enhance public safety and regulate the use of civilian drones, although it has generated concerns about restrictions on individual freedoms and potential impacts on the drone industry within Belarus. It remains a subject of international debate due to Belarus' political isolation from many countries.