Quick answer: If a UOM verification code never arrives, first confirm you are using the registration SMS field, not the SMS-login tab. Check the mainland number, complete the image challenge (图形验证码), wait for the resend countdown, and make one controlled retry. If the code still does not arrive, investigate the number provider's SMS and identity-verification status. Do not assume that a Chinese-format number is able to receive every service message.
This guide is for people creating a CAAC UOM account before flying a drone in mainland China. The official system is in Chinese; the troubleshooting below identifies what you can check without sharing your passport or verification codes.
Where is the UOM SMS verification field?
UOM has different screens for creating a new account and logging into an existing one. Start at uom.caac.gov.cn, not an old saved link or a third-party login form. For new registration, choose 免费注册 (Free registration), accept the registration notice, and continue through account details.
When a contact-information panel appears, these are the labels that matter:
| Chinese label | English | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| 手机号码 | Mobile number | The exact number, including digits and any format the form requests |
| 图形验证码 | Image verification challenge | Complete the live captcha; it is not your SMS code |
| 获取验证码 | Get verification code | Sends or requests a code after the form permits it |
| 短信验证码 | SMS verification code | Enter only the code actually received |
| 电子邮箱 | Email address | Use an email address you can access for later messages |
The 手机号登录 tab is a mobile-number login method; it is not a substitute for the 免费注册 flow. If you already created an account, avoid registering a duplicate.
What to try when the code does not arrive
- Check the active screen and number. Make sure the number entered is the one you can currently access. Do not guess whether the form supports a foreign prefix when no country selector is shown.
- Complete 图形验证码 first. An unfinished or expired image challenge can prevent the request from moving on.
- Look for a countdown or on-screen error. If UOM is counting down, wait before trying again. Do not keep clicking 获取验证码 repeatedly.
- Try one fresh request after the countdown. Note the time, error wording and whether the message reached your handset or number provider's inbox. Never publish the OTP itself.
- Confirm the number actually receives service SMS. Being assigned a +86 number, or seeing an account marked “Normal,” does not prove it can receive UOM messages.
- Check whether the number provider has unfinished verification. Ask the provider about identity checks and inbound application SMS. A provider account's status may be a clue; it does not diagnose UOM's delivery systems.
- Use the official app or another full browser if the web form is broken. Only use download links from the official UOM homepage. Changing browsers cannot fix a service that will not send to that number.
Stop point: If UOM does not confirm SMS verification, the account step is not completed. A screenshot of a Chinese phone number, or a sent-code popup, is not equivalent to a successfully verified code.
Does eSender work with CAAC UOM?
There is no verified blanket yes-or-no answer for every eSender number. In an anonymized October 2026 support case, an overseas visitor had a Chinese-format eSender number. The service's status screen showed the line as Normal, while an identity-registration indicator was not yet complete. The first coordinated UOM code attempt did not result in a confirmed successful verification within the available communication window.
What this proves: A seemingly active number can still leave the user stuck. What it does not prove: that UOM blocks all eSender numbers, that provider identity status was the sole cause, or that a different virtual number would certainly work.
If you have the same situation, ask your provider two specific questions: “Can my number receive verification messages from Chinese government web services?” and “Is any required real-name verification still outstanding?” Treat the answers as troubleshooting information rather than an official UOM compatibility certification.
Can I use someone else's Chinese phone number?
A helper's number may appear to solve initial SMS delivery, but it does not establish eligibility for your UOM identity. In our October 2026 hands-on workflow, a +86 number already verified for one person could not verify a different identity. Later logins and account recovery may rely on that number; we have not verified that UOM always allows it to be changed.
Do not assume a borrowed or already verified number can be reused. For US$80 full assistance, there are two lawful-owner routes: a personal UOM account with an eligible +86 number, or registration under a qualifying individual or organization that genuinely owns the aircraft. The latter is not registration in your personal name. Simply entering another person's identity for an aircraft you own is not a compliant shortcut. A data-only travel eSIM cannot receive SMS.
UOM website not loading at all?
That is a different problem from SMS delivery. Enter the exact official URL in Chrome, Safari or Edge rather than an in-app browser. Try another connection once. Existing users can compare 账号登录 (account login) with 手机号登录 (SMS login); new users should use 免费注册.
If the page still fails, save the URL, browser, time and redacted error message and use UOM's official support channel. Do not send passwords, verification codes or passport photos through public comments.
What to do after you finally receive the code
Enter the code in the live UOM session and complete the account/contact step. Then proceed to the personal identity review; that is not yet aircraft registration. You will still need to submit the drone record and confirm an issued registration mark for your actual serial number.
Read the foreign passport photo requirements before uploading documents, or follow the English UOM step-by-step walkthrough. If your identity application is already submitted, use the pending-review guide.
Frequently asked questions
Why does UOM say it sent the code but my phone shows nothing?
The webpage's send confirmation, the telecom delivery and your actual receipt are separate events. Check the image challenge, cooldown, number input and provider's inbound SMS support. The precise cause is not knowable from a “sent” message alone.
Can I register with my Spanish or other overseas number?
The available UOM reference screens do not confirm an accepted foreign-number format. Do not assume international roaming or a foreign eSIM can receive the required code. Check the live form and UOM's official support before relying on it.
If I got the SMS, is my drone registered?
No. SMS completion is an account/contact step. You must still finish owner verification and the specific aircraft registration process.
Official sources and next steps
The CAAC announcement establishing UOM identifies the official portal. The 2026 CAAC registration procedure provides the current regulatory framework. The on-screen label references follow CTD's UOM walkthrough, with screenshots captured on earlier dates; always check the live interface.
If you cannot proceed, compare both US$80 registration-holder routes. The chosen owner must be legitimate, with consent and UOM account control agreed in advance; approval is determined by UOM. Do not share OTP codes or personal identity images in public.