China Travel Decisions · China Travel
How Do I Register My Drone in China?
Choose a route to CAAC UOM registration: do it yourself, resolve a blocker, or get help. Registration, device activation and permission to fly are separate.
Quick answer: Start with the Civil Aviation Administration of China's official UOM registration platform. Real-name registration is not the same as drone activation or permission to fly. If you need help, choose the route below rather than repeating a full registration tutorial here.
Which registration route should I take?
Use the route that matches your actual next action. CTD is an independent guide, not the registration authority.
01 · Free DIY
I can register the drone myself
Use UOM for real-name registration. Follow the existing illustrated, step-by-step English guide, including owner information, drone details and the registration mark.
Start DIY registration guide →02 · Troubleshooting
My registration is blocked
Can't receive a verification code, can't use a Chinese phone number, or waiting for foreign-passport review? Identify the failed stage before trying another registration route.
Find my registration blocker →03 · Paid assistance
Illustration of a guided document review · not an official approval screen
I want someone to help
Compare the US$80 assistance service, information required and owner-of-record arrangements before paying. Assistance does not guarantee government approval.
Compare assistance options →What do I need before registering?
- Your real identity and the actual registration owner: use correct passport or other eligible identity information. If you cannot use your own account, do not assume a third party's phone number makes you the registered owner.
- Drone details: model and the aircraft's required unique product identifier or serial number. A remote controller's serial number is not automatically the aircraft's identifier. Check model and serial-number problems.
- Access to UOM: confirm you can open the official site and receive any required verification messages. See the official UOM app and web access options.
Do I need to register this drone? Check the registration applicability guide before assuming its weight or flight purpose exempts it.
How do I know registration is complete?
Do not stop at account approval. Check the actual aircraft record, then check flight conditions separately.
Registration pending or rejected? An account under review or an incomplete aircraft record is not a verified registration. Use the pending/rejected recovery guide. Once the aircraft record is accepted, see how to locate the registration mark or QR code.
Does registration let me fly anywhere in China?
No. Real-name aircraft registration identifies the registered owner and aircraft. Device activation is a distinct requirement under the 2026 standard, and the airspace and flight-approval rules still apply to the intended flight.
- National rules: CAAC's 25 June 2026 procedure (AP-45-01R6) governs real-name registration. Its April 2026 explanation of the activation standard distinguishes newly manufactured aircraft from previously sold aircraft, which have a transition period to May 2027.
- Before flying: check controlled versus suitable airspace using the official UOM flight-area map guide; then consult the flight-permit decision guide for the separate authorization question.
- Shanghai: the city's Suishenban low-altitude platform may be used for local flight-management functions, including applications in restricted zones. It does not mean every flight below 120 metres is automatically allowed or replace national requirements everywhere. See the linked Shanghai government guidance below.
What if I cannot finish registration?
Website or verification code fails? First identify whether the issue is site access, SMS verification or account eligibility. Try the UOM troubleshooting guide; if phone access is the blocker, see phone-number and passport routes.
Passport review has not finished? Do not treat a submitted identity form as approved. Check review and rejection recovery and keep your flight plans contingent on official approval.
Need assistance? Read the US$80 assisted registration scope and the owner-of-record implications; payment does not purchase a government approval.
Common questions
Is CAAC drone registration free?
Using the official UOM system to submit your own registration does not require paying CTD. CTD's optional assistance is a separate paid service.
Can I register without a Chinese mobile number?
The available account and ownership route depends on your actual verification access and identity. Do not confuse phone access with legal ownership; follow the foreign-phone troubleshooting guide before choosing another route.
Can I register my drone with a foreign passport?
Foreign travelers commonly use passport identity on UOM, but account verification still depends on whether you can complete the platform's login and SMS checks. If verification fails, use the foreign-phone troubleshooting guide or the assisted route instead of assuming passport alone is enough.
Does a registration submission mean I can fly?
No. Check the accepted aircraft record, applicable device activation and the destination's flight restrictions or approval process separately. Registration identifies the aircraft; it is not a flight permit.
Is Suishenban a substitute for national UOM registration everywhere?
No. Shanghai's Suishenban tools can support some local registration or flight-management steps in Shanghai, but they do not replace national UOM requirements for every itinerary. Use uom.caac.gov.cn as the national registration route unless a current official Shanghai channel clearly applies to your case.
Official sources
Reviewed 27 October 2026. Use current official instructions if a platform screen or local restriction changes.
- Civil Aviation Administration of China — official UOM platform
- CAAC — Real-name Registration Management Procedure (25 June 2026; AP-45-01R6)
- CAAC — Explanation of the Registration and Activation Standard (21 April 2026)
- Shanghai Government — drone regulations effective 1 February 2026
Decision boundary: CTD does not submit government registration from this page, issue a registration mark, or grant permission to fly.
Rules, prices, operating routes and platform support can change. CTD is an independent travel resource. Recheck the linked official channel before paying or relying on a reservation.