China to launch drone owner registration, no-fly zones and filming limits under new rules

Interim Regulations for Managing Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle Flights bans non-Chinese drones and pilots from using the vehicles for surveying land from 2024
Authorities say UAVs ‘interrupting flights, injuring people when control is lost, harming rights of others by secret filming’

Drones

Jack Lau

Published: 6:05pm, 29 Jun 2023

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China’s drone owners will have to register with the government from next year under new rules aimed at improving public safety and national security.

The first national regulations on drones – published on Wednesday– also ban people from using the devices to take pictures or video of military or defence industrial installations or secretive facilities. Drones cannot be used to gather and publish state secrets or unlawfully transfer information outside mainland China.

The Interim Regulations for Managing Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle Flights also bans non-Chinese drones and pilots who are not Chinese nationals from using the vehicles for surveying land.

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“Serious offences” could lead to deportation, the rules say. Under existing Chinese law, publishing geographical information on China without state permission is illegal.

The rules address potential dangers brought on by the rapid proliferation of drones in fields such as defence, agriculture and scientific research, a spokesperson for both the justice ministry and the state air traffic office said, according to Chinese state media outlets on Thursday.

“Uncrewed aerial vehicles have been interrupting flights, injuring people when control is lost, and harming the rights of others by secret filming,” the spokesperson said. “These problems are becoming more apparent and threaten aviation safety, public safety and national security. The risks must not be ignored.”

Local governments have imposed temporary flight restrictions during mass events or those considered politically sensitive, such as the “two sessions”, or lianghui, political meetings in Beijing. Some provinces and cities have been creating their own drone regulations since 2017.

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While details of owner registration are yet to be released, the published regulation said an unregistered drone owner flying such a device could attract a fine of up to 20,000 yuan (US$2,800). When flying the drone the pilot must also carry a permit and identification documents that can be checked by authorities at any time.

Registration applies to drones of varying sizes, including those lighter than 250 grams (8.8oz) that hobbyists use for photography, filming and racing.

Major manufacturers make drones in the under 250-gram class because they do not need to be registered with authorities in many places, including the United States, Singapore and Hong Kong.

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The law said the Chinese government would build a national drone monitoring platform to store data relating to the specifications, manufacturing and use of drones. A modified drone would also need to meet legal requirements and new capabilities must be reported on the platform.

Drones lighter than 15kg, including hobbyist drones, will have to broadcast identifying information when airborne.

No-fly zones will be established over and near sensitive areas, including military facilities, borders, nuclear facilities, transport infrastructure and electricity supply facilities, according to the law published by the central government and the Central Military Commission, China’s top military decision-making body.

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The military, police and counterterrorism agencies could interfere, capture or destroy a drone violating the law, it said.

China has more than 15,000 companies in the drone industry, which was worth 117 billion yuan (US$16 billion) in 2022, according to Yang Jincai, chairman of the Shenzhen Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Industry Association, following a trend of rapid expansion.