Beijing stops all drone sales ahead of WW2 anniversary parade
Authorities in Beijing have blocked the sale of drones for three weeks ahead of a large military parade in the Chinese capital to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of the second world war.
A notice on e-commerce site JD.com said that it had suspended drone sales for customers in Beijing between August 1st and 21st, "due to orders from Beijing's aviation authority".
During parade rehearsals on August 13 and 15, roads around Tiananmen Square and Chang'an Avenue will be shut, while during the event itself, Beijing's two airports will be closed for several hours.
Despite being the home of the world's largest civilian drone maker, DJI, and having a strong domestic drone market worth an estimated US$8 billion, Chinese authorities have long had an uneasy relationship with the devices.
Drones flying at a height of less than 1,000 metres are forbidden from taking off without prior permission from the authorities, but enforcement is difficult, particularly for small consumer drones.
Three people were charged with endangering public security after they flew the drone through restricted airspace in Beijing. The trio had been carrying out mapping and site measurements for a real estate project.
While the drone and postal restrictions may be stringent, they pale in comparison to precautions taken during a flag-raising ceremony to mark China's National Day in October last year.
