Q: I am an expat residing in Shanghai. As a hobby, I sometimes fly my drone.

A while ago when I was flying I received an SMS stating that I had "invaded" some controlled airspace, suggesting that I shall get permission from uom.caac.gov.cn. I had, like always, the permission, and I was flying within the permitted area.

I got in touch with uom.caac, and they meant I needed to get permission from their website too. The website is in Chinese and is quite difficult to fill in for me.

I would like to be sure that I am in compliance with all I need to do for safe flights in Shanghai.

A: When flying drones in Shanghai, real-name registration must be completed and a flight plan submitted beforehand. There are two options available:

First, you can register your drone and file flight reports for flights under 120 meters using the Suishenban platform, which is applicable only in Shanghai.

Alternatively, you can register and submit flight reports at uom.caac.gov.cn. This website is managed by the Civil Aviation Administration of China. As per the regulations outlined in the Interim Regulations on the Management of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Flights of the People's Republic of China that came into effect in 2024, all drone operators must complete real-name registration and submit flight plans for flights within controlled airspace. The regulations also allow for checking controlled airspace and suitable flight areas at uom.caac.gov.cn.

Regardless of the platform used for flight reporting, drone operators must comply with local regulations, adhere to Chinese laws, ensure safe flights, and avoid engaging in mapping activities.

Source: Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Public Security