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China tightens rules on civilian drones in cities after Ukraine-linked security fears
The South China Morning Post reports that nearly 20 major cities have imposed blanket bans on civilian drone flights in central areas, adding compliance hurdles for uses like power grid inspections.
Drones that for years flew over Shanghai’s Huangpu River, enabling routine aerial footage in a major commercial drone hub, are now facing heavier restrictions under a nationwide tightening of civilian drone rules, according to the South China Morning Post.
The outlet says the changes are widely linked to security concerns intensified by drone attacks in Ukraine, with China’s tightening believed to be driven by risks that authorities associate with low-altitude drones.
SCMP reports that blanket bans have been introduced in central areas across nearly 20 of China’s largest cities, and that some measures were implemented without public policy announcements.
The restrictions have disrupted casual drone use and are also complicating compliance for industrial applications such as power grid inspections, weighing on China’s efforts to grow a low-altitude economy.