Saudi civil aviation authority to begin issuing drone permits

A drone is used to record a military parade by Saudi security forces. (AP Photo)
Updated 12 January 2019
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Saudi civil aviation authority to begin issuing drone permits

  • Caters for hobbyists, enthusiasts and commercial ‘Unmanned Aircraft Systems’ (UAS) operators
  • Permit allows for recreational and commercial drone use

RIYADH: The General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) began receiving Unmanned Aircarft Systems (UAS) drone permit applications via its website on Thursday. Those who own a drone or wish to purchase one and fly it in Saudi Arabia can register and receive the relevant permits through https://eaviation.gaca.gov.sa/uas/.

On its website on Thursday, GACA announced the launching of this electronic service.

“The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation, the Kingdom’s regulator of all aspects of civil aviation has announced launching its electronic service to obtain permits required for operating unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones in the Saudi Arabia, as part of its comprehensive digital transformation project for all of the services provided by the authority.

“Launching this e-service falls within the context of the relentless efforts exerted by GACA for a safe airspace achieving a secure environment in accordance with the strictest international safety standards, in addition to improve and regulate the navigation of drones, in line with the Kingdom’s vision 2030.”

This comes as much of a delight for hobbyists, enthusiasts and commercial ‘Unmanned Aircraft Systems’ (UAS) operators, who for years have operated under the radar, facing investigation and detention, if caught flying a drone.

“The idea was to fly the drone away from the take-off point, as quickly as possible, so as not to be seen”, said one drone pilot, who asked to only be identified as Majid. “Then when you come in to land you land as quickly as possible, then get in your car and go. That’s how I have been getting away with it.”

With the new GACA permits, drone operators will be able to relax.

This journalist applied for a drone permit online and found the application process to be a simple one and allows for recreational and commercial drone use. Applicants are required to submit a copy of the national identity card or iqama and the make, model and serial number of the drone they are registering. There is also the option to obtain a Saudi Customs clearance certificate through GACA to import a drone into the country.

Information required by GACA includes a copy of the applicant’s national identity card or iqama, as well as the make and serial number of the drone. If one has received formal training in operating a drone, consideration is given for that.

Within the first 24 hours of opening online registration, GACA received 241 applications.

From the GACA website, it appears that registration for each drone is required, and permission for each flight is also required. How quickly GACA can approve those requests will be seen in the coming days and weeks.

Bringing a drone into Saudi Arabia has always been a smuggler’s task with several confiscated by Saudi Customs over the years at various points of entry. Foreign journalists and film-makers were also banned from bringing them into the country unless prior arrangements and permission was granted by the Ministry of Media’s Foreign Media Department.

“There was always much confusion regarding drone permits and those wishing to apply for one were being referred to either the Ministry of Media, GACA, the Ministry of the Interior, local Governorate, the General Commission for Audiovisual Media, the local Municipality or the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones,” said Seif, a Saudi film-maker and drone enthusiast.

“Where you were referred, depended on who you asked, and you ended up not flying, or flying illegally,” Seif added.

Drone pilots that Arab News spoke to had a concern, and that is whether a GACA permit is all that is needed to fly, or will one need other permits on top of the GACA one.

Arab News will be approaching GACA on Sunday for more information about regulations including whether training courses are required, and about how quickly day-flying permits take to process.

On Friday, online black-market advertisements for drones for sale in the Kingdom began including the link to the GACA drone registration website, arguably marking the end of black-market drone sales in the Kingdom.

Black-market prices online have always been elevated and remained so over the weekend in the case of drones for sale.

One man named Abdulaziz who had two of the latest DJI Mavic drones available for sale in Jeddah, was selling them for SR2,000 more than they are sold for in shops in Dubai.

When asked why, he said: “I had to bring them it into the country.”

With this new regulation it is expected that drones will soon be appearing in stores all around Saudi Arabia.


3rd Global Conference for Giftedness and Creativity underway in Riyadh

Updated 25 November 2024
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3rd Global Conference for Giftedness and Creativity underway in Riyadh

  • More than 300 talented individuals and local and international speakers from over 50 countries were attending the three-day conference

RIYADH: The third edition of the Global Conference for Giftedness and Creativity opened in Riyadh on Sunday, bringing together a select group of experts and talented individuals in science, technology, and innovation.

More than 300 talented individuals and local and international speakers from over 50 countries were attending the three-day conference, which was inaugurated by Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, governor of Riyadh region, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Organized by the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, also known as "Mawhiba," the conference is being held at the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC) until Tuesday.

Themed "Beyond Creative Minds," the conference aims to showcase the potential of the gifted, develop a comprehensive care system to support them, bolster integration and strategic partnerships, and enhance opportunities for global exchange and cooperation.

An exhibition and various cultural visits are being held on the conference sidelines, the SPA report said.

According to the Mawhiba site, the conference reflects the success achieved in the two previous editions, and "provides an opportunity for partners to contribute to sponsoring the journey of talented people from different countries of the world."

 

 


Saudi-European talks to strengthen cooperation in environmental fields

Updated 25 November 2024
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Saudi-European talks to strengthen cooperation in environmental fields

  • Saudi minister of state discussed with EU security and political officials strengthening existing work on dealing with climate change

RIYADH: Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir met with European officials on Sunday in Riyadh, Saudi Press Agency reported.
Al-Jubeir, who is also the Saudi climate envoy, held talks with Delphine Pronk, the Chair of the EU Political and Security Committee, and Luigi Di Maio, the EU Special Representative for the Gulf region.
They discussed issues surrounding climate change and the cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the EU in environmental fields, SPA added.
They discussed ways to strengthen their existing cooperation on tackling climate change and the recent development in foreign policy in Europe and the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia maintains a strong dialogue with the EU, and both parties share close views on several foreign policy issues, including the Saudi-led Arab Peace Initiative for the Middle East, which aims to create a prosperous region for all its people and end the cycle of conflict.
The EU and Saudi Arabia are also linked through trade relations, which made the EU the Kingdom's second trading partner after the volume of trade exchange between Riyadh and Brussels peaked at $80 billion in 2023.


Saudi FM arrives in Italy to attend G7 ministerial meeting

Updated 24 November 2024
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Saudi FM arrives in Italy to attend G7 ministerial meeting

RIYADH: Saudi foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Italy on Sunday to participate in an expanded ministerial meeting of the Group of Seven (G7) countries in Fiuggi, Saudi Press Agency reported. 

The meeting will discuss the current situation in the Middle East, SPA added.

During his stay in Fiuggi, Prince Faisal will hold a number of discussions that will address regional and international issues.


Saudi fund chief receives Tajikistan’s deputy prime minister

Updated 24 November 2024
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Saudi fund chief receives Tajikistan’s deputy prime minister

  • Saudi Ambassador to Tajikistan Walid Al-Rashidan was among the officials in attendance

RIYADH: CEO of the Saudi Fund for Development Sultan Al-Marshad received First Deputy Prime Minister of Tajikistan Hokim Kholiqzoda and his accompanying delegation in Riyadh on Sunday.

During the meeting, the Saudi fund’s development projects were discussed, as well as ways to enhance development cooperation between both sides, the official account wrote on X.

Saudi Ambassador to Tajikistan Walid Al-Rashidan was among the officials in attendance.

Kholiqzoda’s visit included a tour of the Saudi fund’s exhibition center, which showcases the organization’s 50-year journey, including notable development projects and their impacts on the lives of beneficiaries.

 


World’s first International Conference on Conjoined Twins kicks off in Riyadh

Updated 24 November 2024
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World’s first International Conference on Conjoined Twins kicks off in Riyadh

  • Top World Health Organization official commends Saudi Arabia’s efforts in the field

RIYADH: The inaugural International Conference on Conjoined Twins kicked off in Riyadh on Sunday. 

The event unites leading medical experts, humanitarian organizations, and families from around the globe to share vital insights, discuss innovative separation techniques, and forge collaborative pathways in the pursuit of improved lives for conjoined twins. 

Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar delivered a speech on behalf of King Salman celebrating the achievements of the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, which has become a global leader in the field.

“Since 1990, 143 cases of twins from 26 countries have been reviewed by my dear colleagues, who have successfully separated a total of 61 pairs of twins to date,” he said. 

Prince Faisal added that it is the only program globally specializing in separating conjoined twins, making it one of the largest humanitarian medical programs in the world. 

He also highlighted a recent milestone: the UN General Assembly is considering an initiative by Saudi Arabia to designate Nov. 24 as the annual World Conjoined Twins Day.

In a video address, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization, congratulated Saudi Arabia on its leadership in organizing the conference.

“I commend Saudi Arabia for its leadership in organizing this important World Conjoined Twins Day Conference,” he said. 

This recognition would honor the medical and humanitarian efforts in this field and highlight the challenges faced by conjoined twins and their families. 

Ghebreyesus praised the initiative as a model for global collaboration in rare and complex medical cases. 

“The conference provides critical insights, from surgical innovations to long-term strategies, shaping rare initiatives. A broader platform and registry for congenital anomalies would benefit low and middle-income countries,” he said.

A keynote address was delivered by Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, advisor to the Royal Court and supervisor-general of Saudi aid agency KSrelief.

As the head of the multidisciplinary team for the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, Al-Rabeeah provided insights into the occurrence and challenges associated with conjoined twins.

The history of conjoined twin separation reveals both the challenges and progress in medical science. 

“The first successful separation was by Johannes Fatio back in 1689 by using a constricting band for a set of Omphalopagus twins or those sharing liver and gastrointestinal organs,” he said.

With a 0.5 percent incidence rate, this early success involved “presumably, a small joining in the skin, probably a little bit of the liver,” said Al-Rabeeah. 

He added that a major breakthrough came in 1957 with the first successful separation of Craniopagus, or twins sharing one brain. 

Al-Rabeeah said that the epidemiology shows distinct patterns: “In Western countries, it’s been estimated that we get one conjoined twins in every 50 to 200,000 births.” 

He added that, however, it is more prevalent in Southeast Asia and Africa, “presumably because identical twinning and twinning is (found) more in dark-skinned people in Africa and also in Southeast Asia, increasing the incidence.”

The survival statistics, Al-Rabeeah reported, entail that “60 percent of conjoined twins are stillborn, and those who live 40 percent of them will die in the first few days of life, and 70 percent of those who would survive will be females.”

He emphasized that the reasons behind this regional disparity remain unknown and require further research.

Throughout the conference, leading medical professionals presented their expertise on various aspects of caring for and separating conjoined twins. Topics included embryology, multidisciplinary team-building, antenatal care, and labor management. 

Dr. Nadia Al-Ghilan, from the maternal-fetal medicine department at King Abdulaziz Medical City, gave a presentation titled “Caring for Conjoined Twins: A Prenatal Journey,” describing the complex process of managing pregnancies involving conjoined twins.  

She said that caring for conjoined twins is a complex and delicate process as it requires meticulous prenatal planning and a dedicated medical team.

Al-Ghilan said that “this journey is filled with unique challenges, ethical considerations, and the utmost care to ensure the best possible outcomes for the twins and their family.” 

Early diagnosis, she stressed, is critical for effective prenatal referral, counseling, and planning for delivery and postnatal care.  

Al-Ghilan also underscored the importance of genetic testing in understanding the chromosomal health of conjoined twins. 

“Techniques like amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling can help identify genetic abnormalities, providing valuable information for developing treatment strategies.”

The conference not only serves as a platform for scientific exchange but also fosters dialogue on building global partnerships to support conjoined twins and their families, particularly in low and middle income countries. The conference emphasized the importance of comprehensive care, from prenatal counseling to post-separation rehabilitation. 

For over 30 years, the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program has stood as a beacon of hope for families worldwide. The inaugural International Conference on Conjoined Twins is set to continue this legacy, inspiring further advancements in the care and treatment of conjoined twins globally.