Agricultural drone spraying rules in China
What you need to spray crops with a drone in China: legal status, authorities, permits, requirements and operating limits, with links to the official sources.
Legal status
Allowed with authorisation. Agricultural drones up to 150 kg take-off weight may spray over farmland in open (non-controlled) airspace without an operating certificate, a CAAC pilot licence or a flight application, under the Interim Regulations on UAV Flight Management in force since 1 January 2024. The pilot needs an operation certificate issued by the drone manufacturer, and pesticides must be used as their label states.
Who regulates it
- Aviation: Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC)
- Agriculture: Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA)
- Agriculture: Institute for the Control of Agrochemicals (pesticide registrations) (ICAMA)
Legal basis
- 《无人驾驶航空器飞行管理暂行条例》（国务院、中央军委令第761号，2024年1月1日施行）: National UAV regulation: real-name registration, operating certificates, pilot licences, airspace and flight applications, with exemptions for conventional agricultural drone operations.
- 《民用无人驾驶航空器运行安全管理规则》（CCAR-92，交通运输部令2024年第1号）: CAAC operating rules: real-name registration on the CAAC UAV management platform, pilot licensing, operations.
- 《农用无人驾驶航空器操控员培训管理规定（试行）》（民航综飞发〔2025〕1号，2025年1月23日施行）: Training and testing of agricultural drone pilots by manufacturers; three exam subjects; operation certificate valid indefinitely.
- 《农药管理条例》第三十四条至第三十六条: Pesticide users must follow the label's scope, method, dose and precautions; no use in drinking-water source protection zones; use records.
What you need
- Register the drone under your real name on the CAAC UAV management platform before activating it (Regulations art. 10; CCAR-92 §92.205). (xxgk.mot.gov.cn)
- The pilot must pass the manufacturer's training and exams (theory, basic flying, field work; 80/100 to pass each) and hold the agricultural drone operation certificate (Regulations art. 16). (caac.gov.cn)
- Take out liability insurance for commercial flights and for any small, medium or large drone (Regulations art. 12). (gov.cn)
- Medium drones (over 25 kg up to 150 kg take-off weight) require CAAC airworthiness approval (Regulations art. 8). (caac.gov.cn)
- Use pesticides strictly according to the label, without widening the scope, raising the dose or changing the method (Pesticide Regulations art. 34). (fgs.moa.gov.cn)
- Professional pest-control service organisations and cooperatives must keep pesticide use records for at least 2 years (art. 36). (fgs.moa.gov.cn)
How to get authorised
- Buy the drone and complete real-name registration. (xxgk.mot.gov.cn)
- Complete the manufacturer's training and obtain the operation certificate. (caac.gov.cn)
- Arrange liability insurance. (gov.cn)
- Check that the field is in open airspace; in controlled airspace, submit a flight activity application by 12:00 the day before (art. 26). (gov.cn)
- Check the pesticide label and registration, then spray following the label. (chinapesticide.org.cn)
Operating limits for spraying
- The exemptions apply only to agricultural drones with a maximum height of 30 m above ground, speed of 50 km/h and radius of 2,000 m, with airspace-keeping and surveillance capability, up to 150 kg, over farm, forest, livestock or fishery areas in open airspace (Regulations art. 11 and art. 62).
- Airspace above 120 m, around airports, military sites, borders and other sensitive areas is controlled and needs approval (art. 19).
- Pesticides must not be used in drinking-water source protection zones (Pesticide Regulations art. 35).
Good to know
- Spraying without the operation certificate: the county agriculture department orders the work to stop and fines CNY 1,000 to 10,000 (art. 50).
- Operation certificates issued before 23 January 2025 remain valid.
Checked against official sources on 2026-09-18. Rules change: confirm with the authorities before operating. This page is a planning summary, not legal advice. The product label and the official rules always prevail.