Fans of aerial photography take note this year has seen rules regarding drone flying in China enter force. It’s a move reflecting the sheer number of drones out there, as well as a tendency for increasingly daring and dangerous drone maneuvers.
航空摄影爱好者注意到，今年中国有关无人机飞行的规定已经生效。这一举动反映了无人机的绝对数量，以及越来越大胆和危险的无人机机动的趋势。
On 1 January, 2024, the “Interim Regulations on the Management of Unmanned Aircraft Flights” entered effect in China. We’ll just call them the “Regs”.
2024年1月1日，《无人驾驶航空器飞行管理暂行规定》在中国生效。我们将它们称为“Regs”。
Therein, Article 10 stipulates that owners of civil-unmanned aircraft shall conduct real-name registration, while Article 12 stipulates that public-liability insurance must also be purchased. That’s irrespective of the size of drone or the use to which it is put.
其中，第十条规定民用无人机所有者应当进行实名登记，第十二条规定还必须购买公众责任保险。这与无人机的大小或用途无关。
Data shows that as of the end of August, 2023, there were already more than 1.11 million registered, civil-unmanned aircraft. Then there is the number of unregistered drones that is almost impossible to estimate.
数据显示，截至2023年8月底，注册民用无人机已超过111万架。此外，未注册无人机的数量几乎无法估计。
While the registration of drones obviously holds owners responsible, it can also enable authorities to issue proactive behavioural warnings. For example, those whose drones exceed an altitude of over 120 metres shall immediately receive a reminder text message.
虽然无人机的注册显然让所有者承担责任，但它也可以使当局能够发出主动的行为警告。例如，无人机飞行高度超过120米，应立即收到提醒短信。
Such a message shall be sent by the Information Centre of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), warning of illegal-flight behaviour. It should be further noted that altitudes above 130 metres in China are deemed controlled airspace.
此类信息由中国民用航空局信息中心发送，对非法飞行行为进行警告。还需要注意的是，中国海拔130米以上的空域被视为管制空域。
So what else can happen to those who violate the new Regs? Article 47 states that anyone who conducts flight activities without the real-name registration shall be ordered to make corrections by a public-security organ and may be fined not more than ¥200.
那么，那些违反新法规的人还会遭遇什么呢？第四十七条 未经实名登记进行飞行活动的，由公安机关责令改正，可以处200元以下罚款。
If the circumstances are serious, a fine of any amount between ¥2,000 and ¥20,000 may be imposed, as the Yangtze Evening News reports.
据长江晚报报道，情节严重的，可以处2000元以上2万元以下的罚款。
Meanwhile, the possible financial penalty is the same for those failing to purchase public-liability insurance, as per Article 48.
同时，根据第四十八条的规定，未购买公共责任保险的人可能受到的经济处罚是相同的。
As far as The Nanjinger is concerned, the Regs could not have come a moment too soon. In a whopping coincidence, this correspondent had today barely written two paragraphs of this article before hopping on the back of an e-bike that came upon directly in front, at speed, a drone hovering just just 1.5 metres above a busy road. The alertness of both on the e-bike avoided mutilation.
对于《南京人》来说，Regs 来得太早了。巧合的是，今天，这位记者刚写完这篇文章的两段，就跳上了一辆电动自行车的后座，而这辆电动自行车正高速地撞在了前面，一架在繁忙道路上空仅 1.5 米处盘旋的无人机。两人在电动自行车上的警觉性避免了伤残。
