Police arrest four in Beijing after mysterious drone forces diversion of civilian planes

Four employees at a Beijing company were detained by police pending a criminal investigation on Monday after they flew an unmanned aircraft near the Chinese capital's airport, forcing the diversion of two airplanes and causing multiple flight delays.

The suspects, whose identities were not disclosed, were detained on suspicion of “endangering public security” after they were linked to the self-modified drone that cruised near Beijing International Airport and “seriously interrupted flight orders” on Sunday, local media reported on Tuesday.

Advances in unmanned-aircraft technologies around the world have spawned a drone craze in China in recent years, with videographers, technology geeks and even aspiring businesses investing in the technology for recreational and professional purposes.

However, in a stark reminder of China's tight control over its airspace, Beijing police told the Beijing News that all small aircraft operators must report to the authorities and obtain proper approval before flying.

The offending drone was picked up by radars of the Civil Aviation Administration at around 11am on Sunday, flying at an altitude of 700 metres at a speed of more than 100km/h, the officials told the Beijing Times.

The findings prompted the aviation authority to order two civilian airplanes in the sky to divert from their flight courses to dodge the drone, consequently resulting in more than a dozen of flight delays in the airport.

The aviation authority and police also scrambled a helicopter to intercept the unmanned aircraft and eventually brought it to the ground.