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Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Justice announced the publishing of Law No. (10) of 2026 regarding unmanned aerial vehicles in the twelfth issue of the Official Gazette for the year 2026.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority, the law acts as a "a legal framework that keeps pace with the rapid growth in the use of unmanned aircraft, enabling individuals and businesses to benefit from this technology while ensuring the safety of air navigation and protecting the State’s airspace."
In a post on X, Qatar's Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA), outlined its responsibilities under the law.
According to the authority, the QCAA will regulate unmanned aircraft operations in coordination with the relevant authorities and in accordance with applicable national laws and international conventions.
Its responsibilities include issuing and renewing licences and operational permits, determining permitted aircraft types, designating operational areas and maximum flight altitudes, regulating the import and export of drones, overseeing compliance with applicable regulations, specifying authorized airspace and flight routes, and setting environmental protection measures during drone operations.
The law states that, without prejudice to the penalties stipulated under this Law, the competent authority may, in the event that a licensee or permit holder violates any provision of this Law, its Executive Regulations, or the decisions issued in implementation thereof, and after notifying the violator at their National Address or by any other means that ensures notification, require the violator to rectify the violation within the period specified by the authority. The authority may then impose any of the following administrative sanctions:
- A warning
- Suspension of the license or permit for a period not exceeding three months. This period shall be doubled in the event of a repeated violation.
- Closure of the company, sole proprietorship, or club in relation to its unmanned aircraft (drone) activities for a period not exceeding 15 days, while requiring the violator to remedy the violation during that period. If the violation is not remedied, the closure may be extended for one or more similar periods.
It adds that, without prejudice to any more severe penalty prescribed under another law, any person who violates the provisions of Articles 5, 9 (first paragraph), or 18 (Items 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6) of this Law shall be punished by imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years, a fine not exceeding QAR 300,000 (three hundred thousand Qatari riyals), or both.
In all cases, the court shall order the confiscation of the unmanned aircraft (drone), as well as any machinery, equipment, or tools used in committing the offense.
Without prejudice to any more severe penalty prescribed under another law, any person who violates the provisions of Articles 12, 13, 17, or 18 (Items 7, 8, and 9) of this Law shall be liable to a fine not exceeding QAR 200,000 (two hundred thousand Qatari riyals).
The person responsible for the actual management of a private legal entity that commits a violation shall be subject to the same penalty prescribed for the offense, if it is established that they were aware of the violation and that it occurred as a result of their failure to perform their managerial duties.
The legal entity shall be jointly liable for the payment of any fines and compensation awarded if the violation was committed by one of its employees, in its name, or for its benefit.
The head of the competent authority may approve a settlement in respect of the offenses provided for under this Law, before criminal proceedings are initiated, or at any stage of the proceedings before a final judgment is issued, upon payment of the amount specified for each offense in the settlement schedule annexed to this Law, provided that the causes of the violation are remedied.
A settlement shall result, as the case may be, in either preventing the initiation of criminal proceedings or terminating the criminal case.
The owner of the unmanned aircraft (drone) shall be jointly liable, together with the operator, pilot, controller, and crew member, as applicable, for any damage caused to third parties or to public or private property.
