Plan

Drone rules: China

Last checked: October 5, 2026

Allowed with conditions

Flying is allowed, but with conditions you need to know before you travel.

Allowed, but every drone must be registered under your real name with the CAAC, and in many cities – all of Beijing included – every flight needs prior approval.

Travel check for ChinaChecklist for your trip: registration, insurance, drone and batteries on the plane.

Maximum altitude

120 m

Registration

Required

Real-name registration for all civil drones except indoor-only drones via the CAAC's UOM platform. The procedure in force since 1 July 2026 requires, among other things, an ID number and a mobile number; it does not explicitly say whether passports and foreign mobile numbers are accepted.

Insurance

Not required

Not required for private flights with micro and light drones. Mandatory for commercial use and for private flights from the “small” class upwards, i.e. above 4 kg empty weight or 7 kg take-off weight.

Depending on drone weight

From 250 gFrom 250 g (light drone) up to 120 m in suitable airspace; below that at most 50 m.
From 7 kg· Insurance: RequiredAbove 7 kg take-off weight (or above 4 kg empty weight), “small” class: liability insurance mandatory even for private flights.

For tourists

Micro drones under 250 g may fly up to 50 m outside controlled airspace, light drones up to 120 m – this does not apply in Beijing, where the entire city area is controlled airspace. Foreigners may not carry out surveying or mapping flights; check the local restricted areas before every flight, as they change frequently.

Further rules

Under the regulations on the management of unmanned aircraft in force since January 2024, all civil drones in China must be registered under the owner's real name; the only exception is drones flown exclusively indoors. There is no weight exemption for small recreational drones.
Registration is done via the official UOM platform of the civil aviation authority CAAC. Under the procedure in force since 1 July 2026 (AP-45-01R6), you provide, among other things, an ID number and a mobile number and must confirm your details once a year; anyone registered before must confirm for the first time by 1 July 2027. The procedure does not explicitly say whether foreign passports and mobile numbers are accepted.
Airspace above 120 metres above ground is generally considered controlled airspace nationwide and requires separate clearance; in addition, the exact implementation is overlaid by frequently changing regional and municipal special rules.
Under the Beijing drone regulations, the entire administrative area of Beijing is controlled airspace for drones; the freely usable airspace up to 50 or 120 metres does not exist there, and unauthorised flights can lead to confiscation of the drone and fines of up to 10,000 yuan. Sensitive border regions such as Tibet and parts of Xinjiang are traditionally similarly strict or effectively closed.
A legal insurance requirement applies to commercial flights and to private flights from the “small” class upwards, i.e. drones above 4 kilograms empty weight or 7 kilograms take-off weight. Most commercially available photo and recreational drones are micro or light drones and therefore do not require insurance for private use.
Violations of the registration requirement are punished with fines of up to 200 yuan, in serious cases up to 20,000 yuan; unauthorised flights in controlled airspace can additionally be punished with up to 10,000 yuan and confiscation of the aircraft.

Sources

This overview is not legal advice and not an official statement — laws change, and we cannot guarantee that every entry is fully up to date. Before your flight, please also check the official source or the local civil aviation authority.