Can Foreign Tourists Fly a Drone in China? Registration, Airspace and the 2026 Rules

What does Chinese law require of a drone owner?

According to Article 10 of the Chinese Interim Regulations on the Flight Management of Unmanned Aircraft, issued in 2023 by the State Council and the Central Military Commission and in force since 1 January 2024, every owner of a civil drone must register it under their real name. There is no exception for tourists or for light weight drones. Even tiny drones under 250 g must be registered. Article 9 also says every drone must carry a unique product identity code from the maker. You'll find it on the drone or the box, and you need it to register. 

You register the drone through the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) platform (known as the UOM platform), even if your drone fits in a jacket pocket. For a hobby flight with a micro or light drone, that registration is the main paperwork. You don't need a pilot licence or mandatory insurance.

The three layers that decide if you can fly

There are three (3) layers that decide whether you can fly a drone in China. Passing one layer does not mean you pass the next.

Checking costs nothing, but at big scenic areas the answer is usually no.

Here is what each weight class needs:

Article 12 of the Interim Regulations on the Flight Management of Unmanned Aircraft makes liability insurance compulsory for any commercial flight and for small or bigger drones even when you fly for fun. If a brand pays you to film, treat it as commercial and ask the local civil aviation office before you take the job. A flight that crosses the border needs nationality registration too, and skipping it carries a fine of 10,000 to 100,000 yuan.

What breaking the rules costs

Can a foreign visitor register a drone in China?

Please note: we have not tested the registration ourselves. The passport option and the need for a Chinese phone number come from reports by foreign visitors who registered in 2025 and 2026, not from our own attempt. Treat them as likely, and confirm on the platform before you travel.

Registration Step by Step

1.     Get a Phone number that receives SMS in China: A local SIM bought with your passport at a China Mobile, China Unicom or China Telecom store is the usual route. 

2.       Create a UOM account: Choose passport (护照) as the ID type and type your name in the exact order printed on the passport page to create your UOM account on the CAAC platform or its app.

3.       Add the drone: Choose real-name registration, then pick the maker and model of the drone. Enter the serial number or the product identity code from the box, and upload the photos it asks for.

4.       Get your QR code: The system gives a registration code that starts with ‘UAS’. Print the code and stick it somewhere visible on the drone.

5.       Activate before the first flight: Under national standard GB 46761-2025, in force since 1 May 2026, a drone must stay unable to fly until it is activated. Activation through the maker's app or the UOM platform is required, and an unactivated drone may not take off. The rule covers newly produced drones from 1 May 2026, and drones already sold and in use from 1 May 2027. 

6.       Keep proof on you: Carry your passport and a screenshot of the drone registration page whenever you fly.

Remember, registration is free. If a website asks you to pay for "official" registration, it isn't the CAAC.

What to do if the Platform Refuses your Document

If you can't finish registration, ensure to keep the drone in your bag without flying it.

Where can you legally fly?

Controlled Airspace under Article 19

Below are the areas that count as “controlled airspace”. So, don’t try to fly your drone there without approval:

•         All airspace above 120 m true height

•         Airports and a set zone around them

•         Border areas and military zones

•         Power plants, substations, fuel stations, water works, transport hubs, ports, motorways and electrified railways

•         Important revolutionary memorial sites and important immovable cultural relics, with their surroundings

•         Any extra area the national air traffic leadership adds

In addition, city governments publish the exact boundaries, so the above list is just a starting point. However, the map in your registration app is the place to check.

City Rules worth knowing in 2026

Your Pre-flight Checklist

•     ☐ I know the class of my drone (micro or light)

•     ☐ I have done registration, have the QR code on the drone, and have activated it

•     ☐ The map on the UOM app shows this place falls within the permitted airspace

•     ☐ I am far enough from any airport and its vicinity

• ☐ My drone height will not exceed the limit for its class: 50m for a micro drone, or 120m for a light drone, above the ground underneath

•     ☐ The owner/operator of the site has allowed it, or this is public land with no ban signposted

•     ☐ I will not be flying over crowds, events, or people’s residences

•     ☐ My batteries are in good condition and within my drone's specs

•     ☐ Passport and registration screenshot are in my pocket

The Site Rule: Why the Answer is Often No

Thus, before going to China, send a message to the visitor centre of the site and seek clarification. You may use this short Chinese phrase: 请问景区内可以飞无人机吗？It means "Can I fly a drone inside the scenic area?” Save the screenshot of the reply.

How to recognize the "no-flight zone" for drones

•     Signs: Search for signs such as 禁止无人机 (no drones) or the cross-out of a drone logo at the gate and on viewing platforms.

•     Terms of ticket: Look at the visiting rules on the booking website. It typically mentions drones alongside pets and alcohol.

•     Security along the wall or trail: if you still take off, be ready for security to order you to land. They can fine you and confiscate the drone.

•     Bags scanning: Large sites check bags at the entrance and any drone there is kept until your exit or denied entry.

Two sites and their own drone rules

Great Wall (Badaling and Mutianyu): The two most visited Great Wall sections are both inside Beijing, so the city ban described above applies before you reach the gate. Read the visitor rules on the ticket page too, and ask the scenic area in writing if you are unsure.

Chengkan Scenic Area (呈坎), Huangshan: The scenic area's management announced in 2025 that its whole area, including the core, buffer and open zones, is a no-drone zone. Flying is only allowed with written approval for news, filming or safety patrols, and staff work with law enforcement to stop unapproved flights.

Getting the drone and its batteries there

Battery packing rules (CAAC, for flights in and around China)

Shipping and buying in China

Courier companies in China will not accept loose lithium batteries. Therefore, you are advised to carry your drone and extra batteries from home. Additionally, buying a drone in China does not exempt you from filling all the paperwork. You must register and activate your drone using your passport before unlocking it and, therefore, you will still have the SMS problem as with a drone you bring from home.

Moving around with a hard case

It is recommended that you place your drone in a hard case and keep it in your hand luggage. A hard case and a suitcase together can be too much for a small taxi, so book a car that shows its luggage space, especially for airport runs.

Common mistakes and failure cases

Most of the drone problems faced by tourists in China arise before their very first drone flight. It is unfortunate when a traveler carries his drone, arrives at his destination and realizes that his drone registration requires a local phone number, he is flying in a city where there is no drone use, or his drone battery violates the packing regulations. Below are some of the common mistakes that foreigners make with their drones in China and how to solve them: