China Drone Laws (2022)

China Drone Laws

Img 1: Aerial Photography In China

Contents

  1. General China Drone Laws
  2. Drone Permits In China
  3. Brining Your Drone On Airplanes Guide
  4. Buying Drones In China
  5. Drone Travel Guide Articles
  6. Contact Information For Questions

Drone laws are constantly changing. To stay up to date on the latest drone laws changes, sign up for an account to receive drone law notifications by clicking here

General China Drone Laws

Drone use is allowed in China, but there are several drone laws that need to be followed when flying in the country. Operators must ensure that they follow the following drone laws when flying in China

  • Do not fly your drone over people or large crowds
  • Do not fly your drone higher than 120 meters
  • All drones under 7Kg are permitted to be flown in China
  • If your drone weighs 7Kg – 116Kg a license from CAAC is required
  • Any drone weighing over 116Kg requires a pilots license and UAV certification for operation
  • Drone flights in controlled areas require approval in advance.
  • Approval from CAAC is needed for all commercial drone flights.
  • Avoid flying near airports and flight paths and exercise caution when flying over built-up areas or over people.

No-Fly Zones:

You will need to check the No Fly Zone map in China to determine if drone flight will be permited.

Permit Needed For Recreational Drone Use?

All drones or Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) with a maximum takeoff weight of 250 grams (g) must be registered. Required for recreational drone use.

Please adhere to the above General China Drone Laws however when flying your drone. (What Is Recreational Drone Use?)

Permit Needed For Commercial Drone Use?

A permit is required for commercial drone use in China.

Any operator/business looking to use a drone in China for commercial purposes requires a commercial drone license. – this process can be very hard for the average foreign company.

If you want to apply for a commercial drone flight permit in China you should take into account the following points as requirements:

1)A legal business entity in China whose legal representative is a Chinese citizen.
2)This legal entity must already own at least one drone that has already been registered with Aviation Authority.
3)Liability insurance must have already been purchased to cover the usage of the drone.
4)The drone operator must be certified through a training process recognized by the Chinese government.

Please Contact us if you wish support for more information. (What Is Commercial Drone Use?)

Flying Drones In China

China is a interesting country and there are many amazing places from The Great Wall Of China to Shanghai where you can capture amazing aerial photography while adhering to the drone laws in China. Here is a video taken by Clip Media Motion showcasing China’s great wall from above.

Bringing Your Drone On Airplanes Guide

For a detailed guide to bringing your drone on airplanes click here. All drones should be brought on carry on luggage if possible. This is because according to the Montreal Convention, airlines are only liable for losses up to ~$1,000 USD. When traveling internationally, theft and lost luggage can be common issues, particularly if your flight has many connections. If your drone is worth more than $1,000 USD and you cannot bring it onto the plane you should consider shipping it with DHL, Fedex, or UPS instead and fully insure the shipment.

You should NOT place drone batteries in your checked baggage. All drone batteries should be placed in a Medium Size Lipo Battery Bag like the one shown here in the link and brought onto the plane in your carry on bag. Lithium-ion batteries are considered “dangerous goods” by airlines and rules surrounding these batteries on planes are EXTREMELY strict due to multiple incidents of these batteries catching fire. Failure to properly pack lithium-ion batteries in a bag such as the one shown in the link above can result in the airline seizing them, you getting fined, or being denied boarding

Drone Travel Guide

China drone laws are up to date as of March, 2022. Please email [email protected] , or click “leave a message” at the bottom right of the screen if you have any questions or comments.