Xiamen gets tough on those operating civilian drones

The city of Xiamen in southeast China's Fujian Province has tightened up rules on the management of drones for civilian use, including real-name registration, pre-approval and filings, flight paths and clear legal responsibilities.

According to a notice jointly released on Tuesday by the Xiamen Public Security Bureau, Xiamen Meteorological Bureau and CAAC Xiamen Safety Supervision Administration, sellers must take down the names and contact information of the buyers, and the names, models, serial numbers and other relevant information of civil unmanned aerial vehicles.

Meanwhile, drone owners must register with the CAAC's real-name registration information system for civilian drones (https://uas.caac.gov.cn) after obtaining the aircraft.

Flight airspace and plans must be declared to the flight control department in advance. After receiving approval, people who use drones in schools, hospitals, shopping malls, stadiums, exhibition halls, parks, cinemas, theaters and other public gatherings, crowded places and large-scale events must also report their take-off positions and flight ranges through the "Xiamen Baixing" app 24 hours before take-off.

They must also follow the declared flight route and range. It is strictly forbidden to fly over important units, facilities and places related to national security and public safety, according to the notice.

Those who fly without the approval of the flight control department will be punished in accordance with the law. If the take-off position and flight range are not reported 24 hours before take-off, the public security organ will issue a warning. If the circumstances are serious, a fine of 1,000 yuan (US$143) will be imposed on the individual and a fine of 5,000 yuan on the working unit. If the incident constitutes a crime, criminal liabilities will be investigated.