Recently, the "Requirements for Real-Name Registration and Activation of Civil Unmanned Aircraft" and the "Specifications for the Identification of Civil Unmanned Aircraft System Operations," prepared under the organization of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), have been approved and released by the State Administration for Market Regulation (Standardization Administration of China). These two mandatory national standards will officially take effect on May 1, 2026, promoting a safer, healthier, and more orderly development of the industry.
In recent years, alongside the rapid development of China's low-altitude economy-related industries, the civil unmanned aircraft industry has grown swiftly, playing an increasingly important role in driving economic restructuring and transformation and promoting economic and social development. According to the "2024 Statistical Bulletin on Civil Aviation Industry Development" released by CAAC, in 2024, nearly 20,000 entities had obtained UAV operation certificates, the number of registered UAV exceeded 2 million, and the cumulative annual flight hours within the statistical scope surpassed 26 million hours, with a maximum of 26,000 UAVs simultaneously in the air. To further enhance the safety of unmanned aircraft operations, CAAC took the lead in formulating the "Requirements for Real-Name Registration and Activation of Civil Unmanned Aircraft" and the "Specifications for the Identification of Civil Unmanned Aircraft System Operations" to ensure the lawful and compliant operation of civil unmanned aircraft. These standards implement the requirements stipulated in national laws and regulations for UAVs to actively transmit identification information, to enable reliable monitoring of their operations.
