Shanghai police have launched a citywide campaign to crack down on illegal drone operations.

So far, police have handled more than 380 cases, imposed administrative penalties on over 380 individuals, and confiscated more than 110 drones.

Most violations involved drone operators flying above the permitted altitude in pursuit of better footage. Offenses were concentrated around tourist attractions, parks and resort areas.

Under the Interim Regulation on the Administration of the Flight of Unmanned Aircraft, controlled airspace includes altitudes above 120 meters, no-fly and restricted zones and their peripheries, military low-altitude airspace, areas above eight categories of sensitive or protected sites such as airports, borders and military facilities, as well as temporary zones imposed for special circumstances.

Flying a drone in these areas without authorization from air traffic control constitutes a violation.

Other violations fall into two categories. The first is operating a drone without real-name registration. The second is operation of drones by individuals without or with limited civil capacity.

Violators face fines of up to 20,000 yuan (US$2,808), and their drones may be confiscated.

In addition, the newly revised Law of the People's Republic of China on Penalties for Administration of Public Security, which will take effect on January 1, 2026, stipulates that serious violations of airspace management rules may result in five to ten days of detention. If such illegal flights endanger public safety and cause serious injury, death, or major property loss, offenders may be held criminally liable.

Police remind residents that all drones must be registered through the UOM platform (https://uom.caac.gov.cn/), and a QR code must be affixed to the aircraft for traceability. Failure to register, providing incomplete or inaccurate information, or failing to attach the QR code is considered non-compliance.

Before each flight, operators should also file a report via the city's Suishenban app or through designated WeChat and Alipay mini-programs.