Yanqing District Unveils New Measures to Regulate Low-Altitude Flights

The Measures set a regulatory framework for managing civil uncrewed and crewed low-altitude flights in Yanqing District.

In 2024, the Yanqing Great Wall Management Office initiated the “Drone Technology Empowering Badaling Great Wall Protection Management Platform” project. Today, 18 automated drone patrol routes span more than 20 kilometers of the Badaling section. Each day, ten drones fly predetermined paths, equipped with high-definition cameras and infrared sensors to identify cracks, heat anomalies, and unruly tourists. In addition to drones, Yanqing employs advanced monitoring techniques such as BeiDou satellite RTK and PPK to gather structural deformation data from critical points along the Great Wall. Image: Yanqing, Beijing official Media Account.

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On June 9, the Beijing Yanqing District Science, Technology and Economy Informatization Bureau announced a public consultation on the "Beijing Yanqing District Low-Altitude Flight Service Management Measures (Trial)."

The Measures establish a regulatory framework to manage civil uncrewed and crewed low-altitude flight activities within Yanqing District.

Set to take effect from July 1, 2025, through July 1, 2027, key provisions include —

Governance Structure: A coordinated system led by the District Government, assigning responsibilities across more than a dozen departments for oversight of safety, infrastructure, tourism, public order, and emergency response.

(Author’s note — This integrated, multi-agency push is one of the defining features of the Measures; it shows a clear effort to organize and manage low-altitude airspace at the local level. It’s an impressive push).

Operator Compliance: Strict requirements for licensing, operational standards, and mandatory liability insurance for most commercial and large-scale uncrewed aircraft operations.

Data and Security: Obligations to safeguard data integrity and avoid illegal surveillance or public safety risks.

Digital Flight Management: A dedicated district-level agency will manage flight plans, provide real-time airspace and weather data, and coordinate emergency responses via a centralized platform.

Infrastructure and Emergency Planning: Sites must implement rigorous safety protocols, while all operators must prepare contingency and emergency plans.

The public consultation period runs from June 10 to June 18, 2025.

Let’s get into it.

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