Network-Integrated Civilian Drones: A Public Policy Framework for Smart Cities in the GCC and Egypt

The rise of civilian drone technology is reshaping smart city development, offering new capabilities for urban management, service delivery, and surveillance. However, effective integration of drones into the urban environment requires carefully crafted public policies—especially in regions like the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Egypt, where security and privacy concerns are paramount. This paper presents a policy framework for **network-integrated** civilian drones in smart cities, emphasizing strategies that facilitate innovation while maintaining public safety and national security. The framework is informed by an analysis of current regulations and initiatives in GCC states and Egypt, as well as global best practices in unmanned aerial systems (UAS) governance. Key components include regulatory reform to permit controlled drone use, technological infrastructure for airspace management via telecommunications networks, and safeguards for privacy and cybersecurity. The results highlight how GCC cities can leverage drones for urban services under unified guidelines, and how Egypt might modernize its restrictive stance to reap smart city benefits. We discuss the implications for stakeholders—ranging from city planners to civil aviation authorities—and offer recommendations for implementing the framework. Our conclusions underscore that **network integration** of drones, supported by robust policy, can enable their safe and productive use in smart cities across the Middle East.