1. Japan
Drones must obtain permission from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism to operate in the following airspaces:
*Airspace above 150 meters from the ground
*Airspace around airports
*Densely Inhabited Districts (DID) designated and published by the Ministry of Internal Affairs
After obtaining a drone flight permit, the following operating conditions must be followed:
*Operate drones during the daytime
*Operate drones within visual line of sight
*Maintain a distance of 30m from people and other property
*Do not fly drones over crowded event venues
*Do not transport explosive or other hazardous materials
*Do not drop any objects from drones
Penalties:
Violations of the above rules can result in a fine of up to 500,000 yen for the drone operator.
2. Taiwan
Drones over 250g must be registered for use:
*Registrants must be at least 16 years old
*Registration is valid for 2 years
Operating drones over 2kg requires a pilot's certificate:
Pilot certificates are divided into three types: learner, general, and professional.
A. Learner certificate: Available for those 16+ without an exam, but must be accompanied by a general or professional certificate holder when operating.
B. General certificate: Available for those 18+, requires passing a written exam to operate drones 2-15kg.
C. Professional certificate: Available for those 18+, requires a physical exam, written exam, and practical exam to operate drones over 25kg or drones owned by schools/government/corporations.
After obtaining a drone flight permit, the following operating conditions must be followed:
*Must maintain 30m distance from highways, railways, buildings, and crowds.
*Speed limit: 87 knots (160km/h) for drones under 25kg.
*Altitude limit: 400 feet (122m).
*Only daytime operation allowed, night flights require special permission.
*No drunk driving: Blood alcohol content must be under 0.04% or 0.2mg/L in breath.
*Prohibited in Yangmingshan National Park, Taroko National Park, and Gaomei Wetlands.
Penalties:
*Unlicensed drone operation: 60,000 to 300,000 NTD fine.
*Entering prohibited/restricted areas: License revocation, 300,000 to 1,500,000 NTD fine, drone confiscation.
3. South Korea
Operating drones under 25kg:
*Generally allowed for non-commercial use within 150m altitude limit.
*However, drones are prohibited around airports (9.3km radius), nuclear power plants, military facilities, DMZ, northern Seoul, residential areas, and crowded places.
*Permission is required to fly in the above restricted areas.
*Recommend using the "Ready to Fly" app to check real-time flight permission zones and weather conditions.
*Completely prohibited to fly before sunrise, after sunset, or in poor weather conditions with low visibility.
Penalties:
Maximum fine of 2 million KRW for violations.
4. Thailand
Operating drones with cameras or weighing over 2 kg:
*The drone operator must be at least 18 years old.
*The drone must be registered with the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT).
*The registration process may take 1-2 months.
Operating drones over 25 kg:
*The drone operator must be at least 18 years old.
*A permit must be obtained from the Minister of Transport.
*After registration, a flight permit must also be obtained, which may also take 1-2 months.
After obtaining a drone flight permit, the following operating conditions must be followed:
*Drone flight altitude is generally limited to below 90 meters.
*Drones must maintain a distance of at least 9 km from airports and temporary airfields.
*Flying over crowded areas and dropping objects are prohibited.
*A safety distance of at least 30 meters from people, vehicles, and buildings must be maintained.
Penalties:
Maximum of 5 years imprisonment or a fine of 100,000 Thai baht.
5. China
Drones are classified into five categories based on performance indicators: micro, light, small, medium, and large:
*Medium and large drones require airworthiness approval, while micro, light, and small drones must meet product quality standards.
*Civilian drone owners must register their drones.
*Civilian drones involved in cross-border flights also require nationality registration.
*Organizations using drones other than micro-drones for flight activities must obtain an operating certificate from the civil aviation authority.
*Operators of small, medium, and large drones must obtain the corresponding operator's license.
After obtaining a drone flight permit, the following operating conditions must be followed:
*Flying in controlled airspaces such as around airports, national borders, and military restricted areas is prohibited.
*Drone manufacturers must assign a unique identification code to their products and mark the relevant information on the body and packaging.
*Drone flight activities must be applied for and measures taken to reduce pollution emissions.
Penalties:
Fines ranging from 500,000 to 1 million RMB. Foreign drones may also be subject to deportation or expulsion in serious cases.