Saudi drone enthusiasts to require permit after 'palace incident'

Authorities in Riyadh have called on drone enthusiasts to register with authorities prior to operating the aerial devices, after a toy drone was reportedly shot down near the royal palace in the capital. On Saturday, videos posted online purported to show Saudi security forces shooting down the drone near King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud's palace, with heavy gunfire. Riyadh police said security forces responded to an unauthorised, small drone-type toy after spotting it near a security point in Khuzama neighbourhood. It was not clear who was operating the device. A spokesperson for the interior ministry said a framework regulating the use of drones was in "its final stages", state-run SPA news agency reported on Sunday.