China's Ministry of State Security recently issued a strong warning to drone users, stressing the risks associated with operating drones in sensitive areas.
This move is part of a broader effort to prevent the leaking of state secrets, particularly concerning core military facilities and critical geographic information (via South China Morning Post).
This picture taken on May 12, 2015 shows an unmanned drone aircraft being tested during a campaign for disaster prevention and reduction in Beijing. China forbids any flights, manned or unmanned, without prior approval from the air force, civil aviation authorities and the local air traffic control bureau. STR/AFP via Getty Images
Chinese Authorities Urge Public Vigilance on Suspicious Drone Activity
SCMP reports that the Ministry of State Security has called on the public to report any suspicious drone activity in sensitive areas.
The agency highlighted several cases where illegal drone flights had led to the unauthorized photographing of confidential facilities and the dissemination of this information online.
"These illegal acts have created the risk of leaking [details] of our country's core military facilities and important geographic information," stated the ministry in a post on its WeChat account.
One notable incident involved Luo, a military technology enthusiast who used a high-definition camera-equipped drone to capture images of a new warship in November 2021.
He then boasted about his discovery on military forums, leading to a one-year prison sentence and an additional year of probation for "illegally obtaining state secrets," including secret-level and confidential-level military information.
In a separate case, Liu, an aerial survey agency employee, used a drone for work purposes without permission. Liu gathered photographs and data from a confidential area, creating "key technical security risks." While Liu was detained by national security authorities, no further details regarding legal proceedings were disclosed.
Furthermore, Li and Zhang used WeChat and cloud services to share data collected by drones from a restricted military area without authorization from the local air traffic control center. Both faced criminal charges for illegally obtaining state secrets.
To bolster security, new regulations were enacted at the start of the year, requiring unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operators to obtain licenses before flying and special permission for restricted airspaces, including areas around airports, borders, and protected facilities. Additionally, civilian drones must have certificates for surveying and mapping, and foreign-owned or operated drones are restricted from certain activities within China.
Unauthorized Drone Flights
The issue of unauthorized drone flights is not unique to China. In Japan, the Defense Ministry recently concluded that a viral video of Japan's largest destroyer, filmed by a drone over Yokosuka Naval Base, was likely real.
This incident, described by Defense Minister Minoru Kihara as "extremely serious," prompted calls for advanced drone detection and jamming technology to be introduced.
In the United States, a Pennsylvania man faced federal charges for flying a DJI Mini 2 drone over Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium during an NFL game, violating a temporary flight restriction.
