Drone Filming in China: CAAC Rules, No-Fly Zones & Permits (2026 Guide)

Updated for 2026. For international production companies planning aerial shots in mainland China, the drone rules are not optional reading. Since January 1, 2024, China has enforced a dedicated drone law, and in 2026 the requirements got stricter with mandatory registration-and-activation. This guide explains, in plain language, what foreign crews need to know to capture aerial footage legally — and what will get your aircraft confiscated.

If your shoot involves any drone work — cityscapes, real estate, industrial sites, tourism b-roll — the single most common way foreign productions get into trouble in China is assuming the rules are like back home. They are not. This article covers the framework, the altitude line, the no-fly zones, the licenses, and the practical path for a foreign crew. For the broader shoot (crew permits, location approvals, customs), see our Complete Guide to Filming Permits in China.

The Rulebook That Actually Applies

Three things govern drone flight in China today:

• 《无人驾驶航空器飞行管理暂行条例》 (Interim Regulations on UAS Flight Management) — effective January 1, 2024. China’s first dedicated drone law; it replaces the patchwork of local rules.
• CAAC CCAR-92 (《民用无人驾驶航空器运行安全管理规则》) — the operational safety rule, effective the same day, covering registration, operator licensing, airspace and flight operations.
• The UOM Platform (民用无人驾驶航空器综合管理平台, uom.caac.gov.cn) — the single government portal for real-name registration, airspace lookup, and flight-activity applications.

2026 update: From May 1, 2026, two mandatory national standards took effect — 《民用无人驾驶航空器实名登记和激活要求》 and 《民用无人驾驶航空器系统运行识别规范》. In plain terms: registration alone is no longer enough. Drones must also be activated, and their real-time identification module must stay on during flight. The rule is now “no registration → no activation → no flight.” Drones bought before May 1, 2026 must be re-registered and activated by June 1, 2027.

Know Your Aircraft: The 5 Categories

China classifies drones by weight. This determines whether you need a license and how high you may fly. Most cinema drones used in production (e.g. DJI Inspire, Mavic 3 Cine, heavier cinelifters) fall into the Light or Small bands.

Category	Empty weight	Max takeoff weight	Max true altitude	License needed?
Micro (微型)	< 0.25 kg	—	50 m	No
Light (轻型)	≤ 4 kg	≤ 7 kg	120 m (flyable airspace)	No*
Small (小型)	≤ 15 kg	≤ 25 kg	120 m (flyable airspace)	Yes (CAAC)
Medium (中型)	—	≤ 150 kg	per approval	Yes (CAAC)
Large (大型)	—	> 150 kg	per approval	Yes (CAAC)

*Light drones need no license for general flight, but flying a Light drone inside controlled airspace requires a CAAC-issued safety theory certificate.

Real-Name Registration & the 2026 Activation Rule

Every drone owner in China must:

1. Register on the UOM platform (uom.caac.gov.cn) with owner identity and aircraft details.
2. Receive an 11-character registration number (starts with “UAS”) and a QR code.
3. Print and affix the QR code to the aircraft body.
4. From May 2026: also activate the aircraft and keep the run-identification module running in flight.

For a foreign production, registration is tied to a PRC entity. In practice this means the drone should be locally owned and registered — i.e. operated through your Chinese production partner — rather than flown under a foreign owner’s name.

120 Meters Is the Line

China divides airspace into flyable airspace (适飞空域) and controlled airspace (管制空域).

• Below 120 m true altitude in flyable airspace: Micro / Light / Small drones may fly freely, no application required.
• Above 120 m, or anywhere in controlled airspace: you need approval from the air-traffic-control authority before flying.

You check the zone on the UOM platform: blue = flyable, white = controlled. “True altitude” means height above the ground directly below you, not above sea level.

The No-Fly Categories That Matter to Filmmakers

Per Article 19 of the Regulations, these are controlled airspace — no flight without approval:

• Airports and their surrounding areas
• National borders and frontier zones
• Military restricted areas and management zones
• Power, transport and public-infrastructure hubs (substations, gas stations, rail, ports, highways)
• Radio / radar / satellite-tracking stations needing electromagnetic protection
• Important cultural relics and revolutionary / memorial sites
• Over crowds, public gatherings and moving vehicles
• Other zones designated by air-traffic authorities

For a film crew, the painful ones are usually airports (Shanghai, Beijing, etc. have large buffers), crowds/events, and cultural landmarks. Plan aerials away from these, or budget lead time for approvals.

Do You Need a License?

Drone	License requirement
Micro / Light	No license (theory cert needed only inside controlled airspace)
Small / Medium / Large	CAAC operator license required
Any drone, commercial use	CAAC license required — filming is commercial

Foreign nationals generally cannot simply obtain a Chinese UAS operator license and fly. The practical, compliant path is to have a locally licensed UAS operator — typically arranged by your Chinese fixer or production company — handle the flying.

How to Get Flight Approval (The Workflow)

1. Check the airspace on the UOM platform for your planned location.
2. If it is flyable airspace below 120 m and you’re using a Micro/Light/Small drone: no application needed.
3. If it is controlled airspace or above 120 m: submit a flight-activity application via UOM by 12:00 noon the day before the planned flight, addressed to the relevant air-traffic-control authority.
4. Coordinate with your local licensed operator who holds the registration and license — they run the submission.

Foreign Crews: The Practical Path

• Don’t assume you can bring your own drone and fly it. Even if you clear customs, operating it yourself as a foreign national is the high-risk route.
• Use a local licensed UAS operator. Your production partner supplies the registered, activated aircraft and the CAAC-licensed pilot.
• Customs: importing drones can trigger import formalities; using local kit avoids the headache and the activation problem.
• Sensitive sites: avoid military zones and borders entirely; secure permissions early for landmarks and crowds.

Penalties for “Heifei” (Illegal Flight)

• No registration / activation: ordered to rectify; fine up to RMB 200, or up to RMB 20,000 in serious cases.
• Unauthorized flight in controlled airspace or above 120 m: flight stopped; fine up to RMB 500; serious cases — drone confiscated plus RMB 1,000–10,000 fine.
• Aggravated cases (public-order disruption, major events) can escalate to detention.

A confiscated aircraft and a production delay are a poor look on any shoot. The compliant route is slower on paper but dramatically cheaper in practice.

Pre-Flight Checklist for China Drone Shoots

• ☐ Aircraft registered AND activated on UOM; QR affixed to body
• ☐ CAAC-licensed operator engaged (commercial filming requires it)
• ☐ Airspace checked on UOM (blue = flyable)
• ☐ Flight application submitted by T-1 12:00 if in controlled airspace
• ☐ Route avoids airports, crowds, landmarks, borders
• ☐ Local production partner coordinating approvals

Need a Licensed Drone Operator for Your China Shoot?

Shoot In China arranges locally registered, CAAC-licensed UAS operators and handles the UOM paperwork as part of your production package. Talk to our team:

• China Production Fixer
• Shanghai Bilingual Producer
• Bilingual Fixer & Producer in China

Already planning the wider shoot? Read our Complete Guide to Filming Permits in China for crew visas, location approvals and customs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a foreign filmmaker fly a drone in China?

Not directly. Foreign nationals generally cannot obtain a Chinese UAS operator license and self-fly. The compliant approach is to engage a locally licensed UAS operator (usually through your Chinese production partner) who supplies the registered aircraft and pilot.

What altitude can I fly without permission?

Micro, Light and Small drones may fly freely below 120 meters true altitude in designated flyable airspace (适飞空域). Above 120 m or in controlled airspace requires prior approval.

Do I need to register my drone?

Yes. All drones in China must be real-name registered on the UOM platform, and from May 2026 they must also be activated with the identification module running. Drones bought before May 1, 2026 must be re-registered and activated by June 1, 2027.

How do I apply for flight approval?

Check the airspace on uom.caac.gov.cn. If you need to fly in controlled airspace or above 120 m, submit a flight-activity application through the UOM platform by 12:00 noon the day before the flight, to the relevant air-traffic-control authority. A local licensed operator typically runs this.

What happens if I fly in a no-fly zone?

You risk having the flight stopped, fines (up to RMB 500, or RMB 1,000–10,000 plus confiscation in serious cases), and in aggravated situations detention. It is not worth the risk on a paid production.

This page is general guidance, not legal advice. Confirm current requirements with the CAAC, the UOM platform, or your own legal adviser before flying.