Sri Lankan authorities arrest four Maldivians for flying drone near airport

Sri Lankan authorities have arrested four Maldivian nationals, including a woman, for shooting video footage using a drone camera in the high security zone of the country's main international airport here, a media report said on Sunday. The Maldivian nationals were arrested on Saturday when they were flying the drone camera across the Bandaranaike International airport, the Colombo Page reported.

Operating any kind of drone near airports is banned while drone photography and aerial mapping are also highly regulated by civil aviation authorities. The incident came hours before Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was due to arrive in Sri Lanka to attend the country's 71st national day ceremony in Colombo.

Air traffic controllers at the BIA said there were no disruptions to international flights on Saturday. The suspects will be produced before the Negombo Magistrate's Court and the further investigations are being done, the report said.

(With inputs from agencies.)