China’s market regulator has issued two mandatory national standards for civilian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), focusing on real-name registration, activation, and operational identification. Under the new rules, all civilian drones in China must display registration information and complete real-name registration and activation before they can be flown. The standards also require drones to continuously broadcast identity, position, speed, and status data during flight to ensure full visibility and regulatory oversight.
The regulations mandate additional technical requirements, including anti-tampering protections for identification systems and the storage of flight data for at least 120 flight hours. Drones will be prohibited from flying if their identification systems are not functioning properly.
Both standards will take effect on May 1 next year, with transition periods for existing drones and manufacturers. Producers must upgrade older models within 12 months, while previously sold drones will have a 36-month transition period to meet the new requirements. After this period, non-compliant drones will be banned from operation. Authorities also plan to implement product certification and enforce penalties against non-compliant manufacturing and sales.
Source: Huanqiu Times, December 9, 2025
https://uav.huanqiu.com/article/4PTwtDoP9tG