As violations by privately operated drones continue to rise across China, authorities have issued new national standards that require civilian drones to be registered before activation and continuously identifiable throughout each flight. 

Under the new standards, effective May 1, 2026, drone owners must submit identity information, product model, and serial number, as well as intended use before a drone can be activated. 

Manufacturers will also be required to install activation control features and remote-identification systems that transmit a drone’s location and status from takeoff through landing, allowing regulators to track each flight in real time. 

Civilian drones will also be required to automatically prevent takeoff if their user identification system fails, and mid-flight malfunctions must trigger automated safety responses such as hovering, returning, or landing. Drones must also store at least 120 hours of remote-identification data, which cannot be deleted by the owner.

The new standards build on China’s first nationwide drone regulations issued in 2024, which require operators to register with the civil aviation authorities and apply for approval before flying in restricted areas. However, persistent violations have prompted authorities to further tighten oversight.  

China’s drone industry has expanded rapidly in recent years. According to official data, more than 2.1 million drones were registered nationwide by the end of last year, nearly double the total in 2023. Individual users accounted for more than 1.5 million registrations. 

Illegal flights have surged alongside this growth, disrupting wildlife, threatening public safety, and interfering with civil aviation, authorities say. 

Despite existing requirements, enforcement has been hampered by limited public awareness, cumbersome approval procedures, and the widespread availability of drone modification tools. Some users purchase fake flight approvals online, while others alter drones to bypass no-fly-zone restrictions or increase flight speed. 

Current anti-drone technologies have limitations, according to Qiao Shanxun, an aviation security specialist at Henan Industry and Trade Vocational College.

But non-military signal jammers typically operate only within 3,000 meters, Qiao said, while higher-altitude systems face strict aviation safety limits. Physical interception methods, including lasers or capture nets are even less practical in dense civil airspace.

Under the new regulations, drone manufacturers will have 12 months to retrofit existing models with remote-identification modules. 

Qiao told Sixth Tone that though implementation of the new policy presents a challenge, it will likely reshape the drone industry. 

“This will inevitably squeeze the survival space of low-end, bargain-priced, toy-grade drone makers,” he said. But for leading manufacturers, he added, the new standards could help clear out substandard products that disrupt the market, he added. “In the long run, this will support greater industry concentration and healthier development.”

Editor: Marianne Gunnarsson.

(Header image: VCG)