Israel grounds civilian drones controlled by fiber-optic cables and SIM cards
A six-month temporary order signed by Defense Minister Israel Katz prohibits civilians from operating drones controlled through fiber-optic cables or cellular communications. Security agencies are exempt, while most recreational drones are not affected.
Starting this week, Israel is grounding civilian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), drones and model aircraft controlled via fiber-optic cables or SIM cards, according to documents issued by the Ministry of Defense.
As previously reported, in September the Ministry of Transport published a draft of aviation regulations proposing to prohibit the operation of UAVs controlled “by a fiber-optic cable or wire, or operated via cellular communication,” subject to certain exceptions. The proposed regulations stated that operating a drone in violation of the rules would constitute a criminal offense.
Unlike recreational and sports drones, which typically remain within the operator’s line of sight, drones controlled via cellular communication or fiber-optic cables can fly several kilometers away from their operators.
The measure is no longer just a proposal. According to Ministry of Defense documents signed by Defense Minister Israel Katz, the operation of drones controlled via fiber-optic cables or SIM cards will be prohibited for six months under a temporary order.
The ban applies to civilian operators, with exemptions for security agencies, including the IDF, the Shin Bet, the Israel Police, the Mossad, the Israel Prison Service and the Knesset Guard.
According to Ministry of Transport data, approximately 4,300 drones are currently registered in Israel’s official databases. The vast majority are recreational drones and are therefore not subject to the grounding order. Israel also has approximately 6,000 model aircraft, alongside an unknown number of drones that were imported illegally.
