Here are the most important rules to know for flying a drone in China:

Drones are allowed in China under the following conditions: 

Maximum altitude: 120m (400ft); anything higher necessitates a CAAC commercial license. Most drones, including the famous DJI brand, automatically set the maximum altitude to 120m and warn you if you manually adjust the maximum altitude settings. 

Maximum Distance: China, like many other countries, requires your drone to have a VLOS, or “Visual Line of Sight.” Put another way, you must fly with your drone in sight. 

Maximum Weight: China requires real-name drone registration for all drones. Any drone weighing more than 7kg (15 lbs) requires a special CAAC license.

China Drone Permits 

• All drones or Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) must be registered. Recreational drone use necessitates this. 
• A commercial drone license is necessary for any operator or business that wishes to use a drone for commercial purposes in China. 
• If you want to apply for a commercial drone flight permit in China, you must meet the following requirements: 
• In China, a legal business entity whose legal representative is a Chinese citizen.
• This legal entity must already own at least one registered drone with the Aviation Authority. 
• You must purchase liability insurance to cover the use of the drone. 
• The drone operator must be certified through a Chinese government-approved training program.

China Drone Registration

• You must register any drone with the CAAC here: Drone Registration China
• CAAC Drone Registration requires the individual’s personal information and information about the drone and its intended use. You will need to provide the following:
  • The proprietor’s name 
  • A valid personal identification number (such as an ID or passport number) 
  • Telephone number and e-mail address 
  • The model number of the product 
  • Serial No. 
  • What the drone will be used for (objective)

Once your drone is registered, you must print the registration sticker with the QR code and attach it to your drone. 

CAAC Drone Registration may require knowledge of the Chinese language and possession of a Chinese mobile phone number.

Licensing

Situations that require CAAC licensing: 

• A CAAC license is required for any drone weighing between 7 kilograms (15 pounds) and 116 kilograms (256 pounds). 
• The CAAC must license all drones used for commercial purposes. 
• Any drone weighing more than 116 kilograms (256 pounds) must be operated with a pilot’s license and UAV certification.

No-Fly Zones

China’s NFZs, or “No Fly Zones,” apply to all drones. These zones encompass the area surrounding airports, military bases, and specific cities such as Beijing and sensitive areas such as Xinjiang and Tibet. 

While DJI drones are programmed not to fly in these NFZs (although there are hacks to circumvent this), many other drone brands require you to consult the China No Fly Zone map to determine whether drone flight is permitted. You can obtain permission to fly in an NFZ through the CAAC.

	Can Fly	No Fly Zone
Beijing		The City
Fujian	Xiapu	Xiamen Wuyi Mountains
Gansu		Echoing Sand Mountains Crescent Spring Jiayuguan Pass Jiuquan Mogao Grottoes Zhangye Danxia Geopark
Guilin	Longji Rice Terraces YangshuoLi River Yulong River
Huangshan	Hongcun & Xidi ancient villages	Yellow Mountains
Chaka Lake	Chaka Lake Qinghai Lake	Xining (the city)
Shanghai	Watertowns	The City
Sichuan		Chengdu Jiuzhaigou
Tibet		EBC Lhasa
Xinjiang	Hemu* Kalajun Grassland* Kanas Lake* Narat* Sayram Lake* Tekes*	Karakul Lake Pamir Scenic Area Tianshan Lake & Grand Canyon Turpan
Yunnan	Yuanyang Rice Terraces	Lijiang Ancient City Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Zhangjiajie	Fenghuang Ancient Town Furong Ancient Town Wulingyuan National Park	Glass Bridge Tianmen Mount

* Before flying, you are required to report to the local police station and get permission.

Insurance

According to China’s drone regulations, operators must insure themselves against liability to third parties.