Drone Laws in China

China Drone Regulations

According to China’s national aviation authority, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), flying a drone is legal in China, but we recommend being aware of and compliant with the drone regulations listed below before doing so.

If you’d like to contact the CAAC directly before you travel with any questions you might have, here is their contact information: fsdcaac@public3.bta.net.cn / +86 010 6409 1288

Why fly a drone in China? To get great aerial shots like these!

General Rules for Flying a Drone in China

Based on our research and interpretation of the laws, here are the most important rules to know for flying a drone in China.

• Any drones weighing 250 grams (.55 pounds) or more must be registered with the CAAC. See the section below to learn more about registering your drone.
• Licensing is required for commercial operations and in other scenarios. See the section below to learn more about the scenarios that require licensing by the CAAC.
• Do not fly beyond your visual line of sight.
• Do not fly above 120 meters (394 feet).
• Do not fly in densely populated areas.
• Do not fly around airports, military installation, or other sensitive areas such as police checkpoints or sub-stations.
• All drones are subject to China’s “N0-Fly-Zones” or NFZs. Beijing is a NFZ. You may consult this NFZ map as a resource.
• Do no fly in controlled areas, unless you have approval by the CAAC in advance.

For more information on China’s drone laws, see this page on the CAAC website.

Know something we don’t about drone laws in China? Send us an email at support@horizonap.com. We are not international aviation attorneys and do our best to keep this page up-to-date for drone pilots, but the reality is that given the pace of the small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) industry and how governments are responding, drone regulations in China can change throughout the year, and those changes can be hard to track. If we missed something, please reach out to let us know.

Registration Licensing Requirements for Flying a Drone in China

Registration

Any drone that weighs over 250 grams (.55 pounds) must be registered with the CAAC.

Registration requires the personal information of the individual as well as details about the drone and its usage. You will need to provide:

• Owner’s name
• Valid personal ID number (such as ID or passport number)
• Mobile phone and email address
• Product model number
• Serial Number
• Purpose of use

Once your drone is registered you must print your registration sticker with the  QR code and attach it to your drone in a clearly visible manner.

Here is a link to the CAAC portal for registering your drone, and here is a site that provides helpful information to guide you through the registration process.

*Note: The registration process may require understanding of the Chinese language and a Chinese mobile phone number.

Licensing

Here are different scenarios that require licensing from the CAAC:

• Any drone weighing 7 kilograms (15 pounds) to 116 kilograms (256 pounds) requires a license from the CAAC.
• All drones flown for commercial use require a license from the CAAC.
• Any drone weighing over 116 kilograms (256 pounds) requires a pilot’s license and UAV certification for operation.

Learn more about how to obtain a license in this document issued by the CAAC.

Want to get a feel for the kind of footage you could get flying a drone in China? Here you go: