A "Drone operations are strictly prohibited" sign is displayed in the Bund in Shanghai, which is designated as a restricted airspace for drones. Photo: IC

China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS) on Wednesday released eight typical cases involving illegal drone flights, drawn from recent years, as unauthorized drone operations have increasingly disrupted airspace order and posed risks to civil aviation safety, according to the ministry's official WeChat account.

One of the cases released by MPS involved a suspect surnamed Li, who in March 2024 paid another individual to remove altitude restrictions on his drone and flew it to nearly 3,000-meter high (about 9,800 feet) to film cloud footage, which he later posted online. From January 2025, Li purchased drones on four occasions and repeatedly paid others to bypass altitude restrictions, carrying out more than 20 illegal high-altitude flights, some exceeding 6,000 meters. Several flight paths entered civil aviation routes, with the closest distance to passenger aircraft about 800 meters, posing a serious threat to aviation safety. In December 2025, Li was approved for arrest on suspicion of endangering public safety by dangerous means.

Another case highlighted by the MPS involved a suspect surnamed Tian, who in December 2023 planned to boost his online profile by filming illegal drone footage near an airport using a modified drone. In March 2024, despite knowing that passenger aircraft were taking off and landing, Tian flew the drone within a no-fly zone along flight paths and posted the footage online, accompanied by provocative remarks. Tian was later detained and, in August 2024, sentenced to three years in prison for endangering public safety by dangerous means.

In a separate case, a suspect surnamed Wang was found to have forged official seals since July 2025 and affixed them to drone flight application materials, which were used to apply to drone manufacturers for the removal of airspace restrictions, enabling illegal flights in controlled areas. Investigations showed that Wang forged nine seals, falsified more than 200 application documents, and earned over 70,000 yuan ($10,089). In December 2025, Wang was placed under criminal compulsory measures on suspicion of forging seals of state organs.

Another case involved a suspect surnamed Feng, who in September 2025 flew a drone equipped with a self-modified battery while livestreaming on social media and passed over a restricted military zone. The livestream footage captured images of the interior environment of a military airfield. Feng was later detained and placed under criminal compulsory measures on suspicion of negligently disclosing state secrets.

Since December 2025, the ministry has also rolled out a nationwide campaign aiming to eliminate safety hazards, strictly punish illegal drone activities, and safeguard low-altitude airspace while supporting the development of the low-altitude economy, according to the MPS' release. 


Global Times