China was the birthplace of recreational drones. Now you can’t buy one in Beijing

DJI Phantom 3 quadcopter drone is flying with a 4K video camera against blue sky.

BEIJIN - In the flagship Beijing store of the world’s biggest drone maker, display racks designed to showcase DJI’s famous flying products sit awkwardly empty.

The Chinese capital is now effectively drone-free. Under sweeping new rules that took effect May 1, you cannot buy, rent, or fly them without approval within the city’s sprawling jurisdiction – a stunning turnaround considering China is both the birthplace of and the dominant force in the consumer drone industry.

Diehard enthusiasts rushed to electronics stores across Beijing this week for last-chance purchases before the remaining stock was pulled from the shelves.

Zoe Zhao, 44, said “many models had already sold out” by the time she got to the DJI store, adding that she only managed to buy one because someone who had reserved it couldn’t make it back to Beijing.

The Beijing resident then had to register with local police and on an official app, before completing a 30-minute exam at home.

The strict regulations are designed to “strengthen the management of unmanned aerial vehicles” and “safeguard the security of the capital,” municipal authorities said.

But they also reflect China’s tightening grip on drones and cast uncertainty over the country’s low-altitude economy – a national “priority” sector encompassing UAVs and flying cars.

Drones have become ubiquitous in China – popular with recreational photographers, used in food delivery and farming, and even replacing fireworks as the star attraction during holidays and celebrations.

By the end of 2025, the number of drones officially registered reached over three million nationwide. And the rapid spread in recent years has heightened security concerns across the country, particularly in the capital, where sensitive military and political sites are concentrated.

Official concerns appear to stem from not just the spying capabilities of drones but also the lethal potential they have –– as displayed on the battlefields of the Russia-Ukraine war, where retrofitted recreational drones have been used to kill.

Sweeping ban

The capital already had tighter restrictions, with a no-fly zone that kept expanding over recent years.

Under the new rules, drones and key components cannot even be transported into Beijing without permission. They can now only be carried by registered owners who have verified themselves with local police.

The all-out ban also prohibits them from being kept at “storage sites” in the city’s urban core and forbids the “hacking” of drone systems.

The new policy raises questions for international travelers visiting or transiting through Beijing with drones in their luggage, an issue not explicitly clarified in the regulation announcement. CNN sought comment from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, but it has not yet responded.

It also adds to the frustrations of existing drone users in Beijing. Under the new rules, they won’t even be able to repair or replace their drones in the city, a store worker told Chinese state-backed media Cover News. Many users in the city also complained online about confusion over how the rules should be interpreted.

Steven Wang, a university student and drone enthusiast, used to fly his drone in designated areas on the outskirts of the capital before the ban put an end to that.

Now, all three of his drones are stored at home in Hebei, the province surrounding Beijing, which also has tightened regulations. “I have to apply for permission for each flight, which is very inconvenient,” Wang told CNN. “And starting this year, the wait time is getting longer, and the reasons for rejection are becoming more vague.”

He added that he and other drone users are increasingly unsure whether they will continue flying in the future, given the growing complexity of approvals and maintenance.

“It’s just too time-consuming,” he said.

The tough new rules, though, didn’t deter Zhao from making her purchase this week. She said stricter drone regulations could help curb illegal behavior. “As a resident of the capital, I understand the importance of Beijing as the country’s political center.”

The low-altitude dilemma

China dominates the global drone industry, with DJI alone commanding about 70 per cent of the worldwide market last year, according to data from commercial data company Research and Markets.

The tightening rules in the domestic market will likely add to the woes of DJI, which is already facing regulatory headwinds overseas. Last December, the U.S. government banned the import of new DJI models on national security grounds – a move the company estimates will cost it US$1.5 billion in 2026, according to an April court filing.

DJI did not respond to CNN questions about the impact of Beijing’s ban on sales.

The so-called low-altitude economy has been a focus of the Chinese government in recent years, with expectations it will be valued at 3.5 trillion yuan ($510 billion) by 2035.

But progress has triggered tougher regulations, with Chinese authorities introducing national rules requiring real-name registration for all drone operators and tighter controls on flight approvals.

New civil aviation rules coming into effect in July will also require the entire drone industry – from makers and importers to operators and service providers – to apply for airworthiness certification, in what researcher Daxue Consulting called “the most consequential regulatory shift” since the sector was born.

The move to clip the wings of Beijing drone users has prompted complaints on social media about how complicated and confusing it has become to fly a drone throughout China.

Huang Lixi, a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Hong Kong, told CNN that the strict measures in Beijing might not be replicated elsewhere in the country, as other local authorities may choose a managed approach that allows for some drone use.

“The ban in Beijing is a simple measure to ensure safety, as Beijing is definitely not the best city to go through such trials,” he said.

By Todd Symons, Fred He and Martha Zhou, CNN

CNN’s Joyce Jiang contributed reporting.