The Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) registry of commercial, government and hobbyist drone users has reached more than 4,700 names. The emirate claims the world’s leading position for drone oversight, Michael Rudolph, head of airspace safety section, DCAA, told AIN on the sidelines of an aviation conference in Dubai February 7.

The DCAA’s Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) Registration Service costs $142 for commercial and government users and $33 for professionals, hobbyists, and freelancers. “This service is mandatory [for] all companies and individuals who wish to conduct activities using RPAS,” the DCAA website says. Tourists attempting to bring drones into the country are requested to register at airports by customs.

As part of international coordination efforts, DCAA has met with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the FAA. “We have had meetings with homeland affairs, with the FAA, and, in fact, they were absolutely astounded at what we doing, not because of what we have, but because of the fact that we were doing it on a mobile network,” he told AIN.

AIN understands that tracking devices are mandatory on commercial and government drones, while individual owners’ craft are monitored using satellite-based mobile telemetry. The Emirate of Dubai’s boundaries constitute a small geographical area, around 4,100 square kilometers (1,590 square miles), making oversight easier to manage than, for example, in the UK or U.S.

Rudolph said that four drone sightings in 2015 in the vicinity of Dubai International Airport in Garhoud had led the authorities to take immediate action on drone monitoring to maximize security around the world’s busiest international airport.

He said that Dubai Road and Transport Authority’s target date for implementation of a regulated air taxi service remains 2022, but he did not rule out the idea that market competition could lead to a surprise announcement at Dubai Expo 2020. He said Volocopter GmbH of Bruchsal has already received German certification for its air taxi, and that some five other potential competitors exist for a Dubai launch.