Oman: CAA announces improvements to 'Serb' for drones registration
The enhancements are designed to improve user experience, facilitate drone operations within the Sultanate of Oman, and keep pace with evolving regulatory and technological needs.
Key regulatory updates
As part of recent legislative improvements, the CAA now allows the operation of drones between airports in Oman, subject to the completion of required procedures.
Work is also under way to allow nationals of 14 countries to bring drones into the Sultanate of Oman.
This initiative, being coordinated with the Directorate General of Customs at the Royal Oman Police, is governed by clear guidelines to ensure compliance with national regulations.
Revised pricing and offers
To make drone services more accessible, the CAA has introduced new pricing options starting from RO 25. A dedicated RO 25 student bundle has already benefited over 100 applicants.
A limited-time 10% discount has been offered on the 'al Nawras' package, and a promotional rate of just RO 1 is being offered for single-use temporary registration.
Green zone initiatives
In an effort to support safe and responsible drone use, the CAA has launched several measures related to designated 'green zones' for flying:
An online portal has been made available for users to propose suitable flight zones. The authority also assigned a specialised team to review green zone applications and suggestions from the public.
Additionally, there are more than 800 potential sites have been collected and referred to relevant authorities for study and approval.
According to the authority, preliminary approvals have been granted for a select number of green areas to pave the way for official use.
These initiatives underscore the CAA's ongoing commitment to balancing technological advancement with regulatory oversight, promoting innovation while ensuring public safety and airspace integrity.
2025 © All right reserved for Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising (OEPPA) Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
3 hours ago
- Zawya
World Bank's IFC approves Oman polysilicon project loan over US objection
The World Bank's International Finance Corporation on Friday approved a loan and investment worth up to $250 million in a polysilicon manufacturing project in Oman for solar power applications, over the objections of the IFC's U.S. executive director, the U.S. Treasury Department said. Three other executive directors on the IFC board abstained from the vote on the United Solar Polysilicon project, including those representing Germany, the Netherlands and Nordic countries, two sources familiar with the vote said. United Solar plans to build a $1.6 billion plant to produce 100,000 metric tons of polysilicon a year in Oman's Sohar Port Freezone. The company has some links to China, partly through its chairman and founder, Zhang Longgen, a U.S. citizen who was previously CEO of Chinese polysilicon maker Daqo New Energy Corp . A Daqo New Energy subsidiary, Xinjiang Daqo New Energy Co Ltd, is listed on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Uighur Forced Labor Protection Act Entity List, which bans its products from importation into the U.S. "The United States voted against this project and will continue to use its voice and vote at the World Bank Group, as well as at all other multilateral institutions, to pursue America First principles," a U.S. Treasury spokesperson said in an emailed statement. The department manages the dominant U.S. shareholding in the World Bank Group. A key United Solar shareholder, Chinese private equity investor IDG Capital, spent much of last year on a U.S. Defense Department list of companies with links to China's military before its removal in December. Other shareholders include Zhang and Oman's sovereign wealth fund. The World Bank and IFC - its private-sector financing arm - did not respond to requests for comment. IFC intends to provide a loan of up to $200 million and a preferred equity investment of $50 million, according to its disclosure sheet on the project. At full capacity, the United Solar plant in Oman would produce enough polysilicon annually to supply solar panels producing 40 gigawatts of power. China dominates the global production of polysilicon, a key ingredient in solar panels, and in its higher-purity form, a raw material for semiconductor production. The sector is already suffering from massive excess capacity. Reuters reported last week that Chinese polysilicon producers are in talks to spend 50 billion yuan ($7 billion) to acquire and shut down roughly a third of their production capacity and restructure part of the loss-making sector. One of the sources said the U.S. and the abstaining countries viewed the project effectively as a new Chinese enterprise, supplied largely by Chinese state firms, and adding to excess capacity in the sector. The Trump administration, in both of its terms, has pressed the World Bank to stop lending to China. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has also called upon the bank and the International Monetary Fund to concentrate on their core development and financial stability missions and pull back from climate finance and gender projects. The U.S. last year approved a $325 million federal grant to Michigan-based Hemlock Semiconductor for a major expansion to produce semiconductor-grade polysilicon to support reshoring of the chip supply chain. (Reporting by David Lawder; Additional reporting by Alexandra Alper; Editing by Leslie Adler, Tom Hogue and Andrea Ricci)
Gulf Business
10 hours ago
- Gulf Business
Abu Dhabi's ADX onboards Thndr as first remote retail trading member
Image: Supplied The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) has onboarded Thndr, a leading retail investment platform in the MENA region, as the first remote retail trading member on the UAE's largest exchange, the second biggest in the MENA region, and among the top 20 globally. Thndr, a Hub71 start-up, is one of the region's first fully digital investment platforms. Regulated by the Abu Dhabi Global Market's (ADGM) Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA), the company is expanding into the UAE after building a strong track record in the region. In 2024, Thndr recorded more than $13bn in trading value and executed 12 million trades. The platform has over four million downloads, provides access to the UAE, Egypt, and US markets, and offers a range of asset classes including stocks, gold, mutual funds, and savings products. Thndr users will soon be able to invest directly in leading UAE-listed companies and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) via its mobile app, in line with ADX's strategy to connect Abu Dhabi to global capital. The announcement was made at an event at ADX's Abu Dhabi headquarters. 'ADX onboarding Thndr is a transformative step in creating tangible trading bridges across the region's capital market,' said Abdulla Salem Alnuaimi, ADX group CEO. 'As the first exchange in the GCC to welcome Thndr, we are demonstrating our commitment to financial inclusion and leadership in unlocking new investment opportunities in Abu Dhabi's robust capital market.' Remote Trading Members enable individuals, international brokers, and institutions to trade ADX-listed securities without being physically present in the UAE, broadening the investor base, attracting foreign investment, improving liquidity, and boosting trading activity. Thndr was launched in 2020 Launched in Egypt in 2020, 'We're proud to celebrate this milestone with the CEO of ADX, driven by a shared belief that retail investors deserve access to a grade-A investment service,' said Ahmad Hammouda, co-founder and CEO of Thndr. 'This partnership gives our users the chance to invest in one of the region's strongest-performing markets over the past 5, 10, and 15 years, while also opening doors to exposure within MENA and beyond.' 'This launch is a major milestone for Thndr and a testament to an incredible partnership,' said Seif Amr, co-founder and board member of Thndr. 'This collaboration truly showcases why the UAE, with ADGM at the forefront, is a beacon of progress for the region.' The onboarding supports ADX's strategic projects such as the Tabadul platform, the first digital exchange center in the region based on the mutual market access model, and complements partnerships with global exchanges. With a market capitalization of Dhs3.1tn,
Khaleej Times
17 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Omani IDs now valid for 10 years in a move to save time, effort: Police
Omani citizens will no longer have to worry about renewing their IDs every five years, as authorities have announced extending the validity of these identity documents to ten years. The decision was taken by the Inspector General of Police and Customs in the Sultanate, police said on Sunday. The decision set the fee for the national ID card at 10 Omani rials, valid for 10 years, and 10 Omani rials for issuing a replacement national ID card in case of damage or loss. To save time and effort, Omani ID cards can now be used as a valid form of identification for a wide range of government and private sector services, eliminating the need to present multiple documents. To save time and effort for citizens, the validity period for both Omani ID cards and passports is now 10 years. This change means that Omanis will no longer need to renew these essential documents as frequently, reducing administrative procedures and costs for individuals and government agencies. The move is part of ongoing efforts to enhance public services, improve convenience for citizens, and align with international best practices in document issuance and management.
