<div id="readability-page-1">A sweeping rule change for drones in Beijing, which bars sales in the Chinese capital and requires identity registration linked to each device from Friday, has left sellers and consumers scrambling to cope with some of the country’s toughest regulations on the sector. At a flagship retail store operated by DJI, the world’s largest drone maker, in Beijing’s bustling Guomao area, a shop assistant said that the store had been preparing to clear its shelves of all drone products in accordance with the ban. The store was set to remove all drone products – from the affordable Neo series to the most expensive Mavic models – on Thursday, the employee said, adding that the shop was running low on stock due to an influx of customers snapping products before it was too late. Beijing’s legislature approved the new regulation on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), a category that includes drones, in late March. In a first for the country, it prohibits the transport of drones into the city as well as their sale. E-commerce platforms, including Alibaba Group Holding’s Taobao marketplace and rival JD.com, will also halt sales and shipments of drones to Beijing from Friday. Some DJI stores have been dealing with crowds of customers trying to take stock of the new regulation’s impact, deciding whether to buy backup devices or upgrade before the sales ban. At least four DJI official stores in Beijing have been contacting customers to inform them of the new rule and advising them to make necessary purchases or upgrades while they still can, according to a screenshot of messages sent to potential clients and seen by the South China Morning Post. DJI did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new rule’s effect on its business in Beijing.   Meanwhile, drone fans in Beijing were rushing to comply with the requirement to register their newly bought and existing drones, according to social media posts and DJI drone owners who spoke to the SCMP but requested anonymity speaking about a sensitive matter. As of Friday, drone owners in Beijing are required to link their identity and contact information with the serial number of the device they own on the Unified Operation and Management (UOM) Platform managed by the Civil Aviation Administration of China. Owners can only keep registered devices, which they also must register with local police. One avid drone fan in Beijing’s Changping suburb, who owns several DJI drones, said that he now only used the devices when travelling outside the city, because much of Beijing’s airspace has long been a no-fly zone. Xiong Jinghua, a standing committee member of the Beijing municipal People’s Congress, said at the unveiling of the new rule in late March that Beijing, as the national capital, faced multiple challenges to its low-altitude safety, justifying the “urgent need” to strengthen control of UAVs. Between August and October last year, Beijing authorities said they handled 51 cases of unauthorised drone flights, some of which posed risks to commercial aviation, according to a report by state-backed Xinhua News Agency last year. A user who spent more than 13,000 yuan (US$1,901) on a DJI Mavic 3 Pro said the registration process, including filing with the police, was too cumbersome for him to keep the device, which he could not use in Beijing in any case. He sold it to another buyer who had been looking for a Mavic but was unable to find one at a reasonable price in local stores. More than 3.3 million drones were registered as of the end of last year in China. Shanghai also requires owners to register their devices. </div>

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<p>A new regulation in Beijing prohibits the sale and transport of drones, requiring identity registration linked to each device. DJI stores are clearing their shelves as consumers rush to purchase drones before the ban takes effect. E-commerce platforms like Taobao and JD.com will also stop drone sales in the city. The regulation aims to enhance low-altitude safety, following incidents of unauthorized drone flights. Drone owners must register their devices with local police, complicating ownership for many enthusiasts.</p>

- A new regulation in Beijing prohibits the sale and transport of drones, requiring registration linked to owner identities starting Friday.  
- DJI stores are experiencing high demand as customers rush to purchase drones before the ban, with e-commerce platforms like Taobao and JD.com halting sales in the capital.  
- The decision aims to enhance low-altitude safety due to previous unauthorized drone flights, impacting drone enthusiasts and prompting many to reconsider device ownership in the city.

No-drone zone: DJI, consumers grapple with Beijing sales ban