China is making a historic step in regulating unmanned aerial vehicles, introducing new standards that effectively establish full control over who operates drones and how they are used in airspace.

The new rules, which take effect from May 1, 2026, require mandatory real-name registration for all civilian drones, as well as their activation before use. No registration - no flying.

Additionally, an operational identification system is being introduced that allows drones to transmit data about their identity, location, speed, and status to the relevant authorities in real time. This will give regulators constant visibility into every active flight.

These measures come at a time of explosive growth in China's drone industry, where the number of registered devices already exceeds several million and total flight hours are growing at a record pace.

With the introduction of such a system, China becomes the first country in the world to establish a complete mechanism for tracking and managing drones in real time. By comparison, many other countries are still in the early stages of regulation and far behind this level of control.

Experts assess that this approach will enable greater safety, prevention of misuse, and better integration of drones into everyday life, but at the same time it raises questions about privacy and the degree of state surveillance.

One thing is clear - the sky above China is no longer an unregulated space.