Nepal bans use of drones in rescue and relief

Kathmandu, May 6 , 2015: The Nepal government has banned drones in its skies following the April 25 earthquake, fearing sensitive information might be leaked and pictures of its valuable heritage sites clicked illegally. A statement issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal said that one should take permission before flying drones in Nepal. After the April 25 quake, some foreign media and other aid agencies used drones to track the loss of devastation and broadcast the information. The civil aviation agency claimed that it has learnt that some used drones to take pictures and videos of valuable heritages of Nepal which could be misused later. Those interested in research in Nepal and requiring assistance of drones would need to take prior permission from the Civil Aviation Authority but would not be given permission to fly these objects in prohibited areas, the authority said. Flying drones without permission would attract penal action according to local civil aviation law, it added. The Himalayan nation was jolted by a devastating earthquake measuring 7.9 on Richter Scale, which left over 7,500 killed and over a million displaced.