Flying drones knowing they were for civil aviation takeoffs and landings resulted in three-year sentences; Ministry of Public Security exposes eight cases of black flight drones.
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According to the Ministry of Public Security, in recent years, with the rapid development of drone use and industry applications, problems such as hacking drone information systems, illegal and irregular drone flights, and even unauthorized high-altitude "black flights" have emerged, seriously disrupting airspace safety and even threatening civil aviation safety. The Ministry of Public Security attaches great importance to this issue. Since December 2025, it has deployed a nationwide special campaign to severely crack down on illegal high-altitude "black flights" and other criminal activities, striving to eliminate safety hazards, severely punish "black flight" behavior, resolutely safeguard the bottom line of low-altitude safety, and focus on protecting the high-quality development of the low-altitude economy. To fully leverage the warning and educational effect, the Ministry of Public Security today released typical cases investigated by public security organs in recent years.
The public security organs remind the public that the sky is not a lawless zone. Unregistered drone flights, unauthorized operation of micro, light, or small drones in controlled airspace, illegal intrusion into or control of drone onboard information systems, providing programs or tools to drones, or bypassing restrictions on no-fly zones, limited-fly zones, or airspace maintenance capabilities are all violations of the "Law of the People's Republic of China on Penalties for Administration of Public Security," the "Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China," and the "Interim Regulations on the Management of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Flights," and are subject to administrative penalties and even criminal prosecution. The public is urged to strengthen their legal awareness, consciously resist illegal flights, strictly abide by laws and regulations, register with their real names, operate in compliance with regulations, and fly lawfully to jointly safeguard "sky safety."
I. Case of Li Moumou Endangering Public Safety by Dangerous Means
In March 2024, Li Moumou paid Zhu Moumou (dealt with in another case) to bypass the flight altitude restrictions of a drone. He then operated the drone to an altitude of nearly 3,000 meters, filmed cloud formations, and publicly released the video. He was subsequently arrested by the public security organs and sentenced to five days of administrative detention. From January 2025, Li purchased drones four times, paying others to bypass altitude restrictions to conduct unauthorized flights at excessively high altitudes, and then posted the videos online. Because the flights exceeded 8,000 meters, the videos attracted widespread public attention. An investigation revealed that Li operated the bypassed drones to conduct over 20 unauthorized flights at excessively high altitudes, repeatedly exceeding 6,000 meters, with some flight paths entering civil aviation routes, and coming within approximately 800 meters of civilian aircraft, seriously threatening civil aviation safety. In December 2025, Li was formally arrested on suspicion of endangering public safety by dangerous means.
II. Tian's Case of Endangering Public Safety by Dangerous Means
In December 2023, Tian conspired to use drones that had bypassed no-fly zones and altitude restrictions to conduct unauthorized flights at airports, filming videos to increase his visibility on social media. In March 2024, Tian Moumou took a drone to the vicinity of an airport. Knowing that civilian aircraft were taking off or landing, he still operated the drone in a no-fly zone, filming videos over the takeoff and landing routes of the aircraft. He then posted these videos on social media, along with comments such as, "What is the law? I'm standing with my hands in my pockets, I don't know who my opponent is, let's watch them shoot down the plane," and "If the plane hadn't been flying so fast, I would have crashed into it." He was later arrested by the police. In August 2024, Tian Moumou was sentenced to three years in prison for endangering public safety by dangerous means.
III. Chen Moumou's Case of Endangering Public Safety by Dangerous Means
In July 2025, Chen Moumou bypassed the drone's altitude restrictions, flying it to an altitude of over 3200 meters to film the drone flying through the clouds. He was later arrested by the police. Investigation revealed that Chen Moumou's flight area was between two main civil aviation routes, where the minimum flight altitude for civilian aircraft is only around 2800 meters. Chen Moumou's actions seriously affected flight safety. In January 2026, Chen was placed under criminal coercive measures by the public security authorities on suspicion of endangering public safety by dangerous means.
IV. Zhu's Case of Providing Programs and Tools for Intruding into and Illegally Controlling Computer Information Systems
In 2024, Zhu paid Wu (who had been sentenced to one year imprisonment with a one-year suspended sentence in April 2023 for the crime of damaging computer information systems) to crack the flight altitude restrictions of drones and to learn the cracking methods. Starting in March of the same year, Zhu began providing services to others to crack drone altitude restrictions and no-fly zone restrictions, profiting from it. He was later arrested by the public security authorities. Investigation revealed that Zhu provided cracking services to more than 50 drones, illegally profiting over 40,000 yuan. Some of the cracked drones were involved in illegal "black flights" exceeding altitude limits, posing a serious threat to public safety. In December 2025, Zhu was formally arrested on suspicion of providing programs and tools for intruding into and illegally controlling computer information systems.
V. Case of Li and 4 Others Providing Programs and Tools for Intruding into and Illegally Controlling Computer Information Systems
From August 2021 to May 2023, Li provided services to others to bypass drone altitude restrictions and no-fly zone restrictions, profiting from these services. Wang and 4 others introduced others to Li for drone hacking services, profiting from these services as well. All were subsequently arrested by the police. Investigation revealed that Li provided hacking services to 221 individuals, illegally profiting over 90,000 yuan. In December 2023, Li was sentenced to three years imprisonment with a three-year suspended sentence and a fine for providing programs and tools for intruding into and illegally controlling computer information systems. Wang and 4 others introduced hacking services to over 210 individuals, illegally profiting over 40,000 yuan. In December 2023, Wang and 4 others were also sentenced to imprisonment with a suspended sentence and a fine for providing programs and tools for intruding into and illegally controlling computer information systems.
VI. Zhang Moumou's Case of Providing Programs and Tools for Intruding into and Illegally Controlling Computer Information Systems
From May 2022 to February 2023, Zhang Moumou provided services to others to bypass drone altitude restrictions and no-fly zone restrictions, profiting from these services. He was later arrested by the police. Investigation revealed that Zhang Moumou provided these services to others more than 20 times, illegally profiting over 15,000 yuan. In December 2023, Zhang Moumou was sentenced to six months imprisonment with a one-year suspended sentence and fined for the crime of providing programs and tools for intruding into and illegally controlling computer information systems.
VII. Wang Moumou's Case of Forging Official Seals
Since July 2025, Wang Moumou forged official seals and affixed them to drone flight activity application materials, providing them to others to apply to drone manufacturers for the lifting of airspace restrictions, thereby enabling him to conduct unauthorized flights in controlled airspace. Investigation revealed that Wang Moumou forged nine official seals, involving more than 200 flight activity application materials, illegally profiting over 70,000 yuan. In December 2025, Wang was placed under criminal coercive measures by the public security authorities on suspicion of forging official seals of state organs.
VIII. Feng's Case of Negligently Leaking State Secrets
In September 2025, Feng operated a drone with a modified battery cell and livestreamed it on social media. During the flight, the drone flew over a military restricted area and was subsequently apprehended by the public security authorities. Investigation revealed that the footage Feng filmed during the livestream included footage of the internal environment of a military airport. In September 2025, Feng was placed under criminal coercive measures by the public security authorities on suspicion of negligently leaking state secrets.
Relevant Management Regulations
Article 10 of the "Interim Regulations on the Management of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Flights" stipulates that "Owners of civil unmanned aerial vehicles shall register their real names in accordance with the law. Specific measures shall be formulated by the civil aviation authority under the State Council in conjunction with relevant departments."
Article 19 of the "Interim Regulations on the Management of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Flights" stipulates that "The State shall designate controlled airspace for unmanned aerial vehicles (hereinafter referred to as controlled airspace) as needed.
Airspace above true altitude of 120 meters, restricted airspace, restricted airspace and surrounding airspace, ultra-low-altitude flight airspace for military aviation, and the airspace above the following areas shall be designated as controlled airspace:
(i) Airports and a certain area surrounding them;
(ii) A certain area on the side of the national border, the line of actual control, or the border line towards our side;
(iii) Military restricted areas, military management areas, supervised sites, and other classified units and a certain area surrounding them;
(iv) Important military industrial facilities protection areas, nuclear facility control areas, production and storage areas for flammable and explosive hazardous materials, and large storage areas for important combustible materials;
(v) (vi) Public infrastructure such as power plants, substations, gas stations, water supply plants, public transportation hubs, aviation and electrical hubs, major water conservancy facilities, ports, highways, electrified railway lines, and surrounding areas within a certain range, as well as drinking water source protection areas;
(vii) Facilities requiring special electromagnetic environment protection, such as radio observatories, satellite tracking and control (navigation) stations, aviation radio navigation stations, and radar stations, and surrounding areas within a certain range;
(vii) Important revolutionary memorial sites, important immovable cultural relics, and surrounding areas within a certain range;
(viii) Other areas stipulated by the national air traffic management leadership agency.
The specific scope of controlled airspace shall be determined by air traffic management agencies at all levels in accordance with the regulations of the national air traffic management leadership agency, and announced by the people's governments at the prefecture-level city level or above. Civil aviation management departments and units undertaking corresponding responsibilities shall issue aeronautical information.
No unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight activities shall be carried out within controlled airspace without the approval of the air traffic management agency.
Airspace outside the controlled airspace is suitable for the flight of micro, light, and small UAVs.
