Author Topic: Flying commercially in Shanghai. (Read 4570 times)

Maxim8609 · « **on:** January 06, 2018, 12:20 »

Hello. I'm going to visit Shanghai. I'd like to bring my DJI drone there and register it (registration process is pretty straightforward). As I can see from Internet if you will adhere to Chinese drones common rules it is possible to fly in Shanghai (120m max altitude, avoid flying over people, highways, No-Fly-zones...).

But if I want to sell my footage on stock agencies I apparently need to obtain commercial license.

CAAC website (civil aviation authority of China - https://uas.caac.gov.cn [nofollow]) is available in Chinese only. I've translated though all the docs placed there from Chinese to English (with google translator) and unfortunately haven't noticed anything about process of commercial license getting...

I also emailed them regarding commercial license but didn't get any answer yet.

Just want to know if someone on this forum has some experience of flying in Shanghai and can share some info.

Maybe I even don't need this commercial license, because... well, you know, it's not FAA, who maybe (I actually don't know about real cases) can draw attention to your aerial stock content, taken on US territory.
Thank you!

skysense · « **Reply #1 on:** January 07, 2018, 05:51 »

Do you, or anybody else, think that someone is actually checking stock footage for flights with or without permission? I know for example that in France, if you want to make any kind of commercial aerial footage, you need their permissions (full UAV flight exam/test with all other necessary permissions). You need this even if you intend to make aerial stock footage of nature (not urban areas). But is there anyone actually checking for aerial stock footage taken far from urban areas, i am not really sure.

I know big story was one guy who published on YT his aerial footage of some king of huge electric power plant in France weeks after some terrorist attack (not very smart) as you can imagine

They looked for this guy, found him (i think) and he was hugely fined or something. But flying a drone over electric power plant just after terrorist attack, and publishing footage on YT and flying a drone far from urban area for stock is far away

Maxim8609 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 07, 2018, 06:39 »

Quote from: skysense on January 07, 2018, 05:51

Do you, or anybody else, think that someone is actually checking stock footage for flights with or without permission?

I don't know to be honest. And that's why I'm asking here.
There was one case recently though when one customer asked contributor via a stock agency (it was pond5 maybe) about one contributor's footage depicting aerial view of big US city (probably NY, Chicago, something like this) if it was taken by certified drone pilot or it was taken being on helicopter?

As I know man answered it was shot from helicopter

skysense · « **Reply #3 on:** January 08, 2018, 07:40 »

Honestly, i don't think that you can get in trouble via stock footage of cityscape you made, but you never know.
Point is to use your drone consciously, not hurt anyone, not damage anything, not fly in restricted areas such as airport or military objects, and not fly inside any kind of power or any other kind of plant area without permission

ohlipang · « **Reply #4 on:** January 08, 2018, 22:35 »

I'm in Beijing China, i think there are no needs of commercial licence of normal drone videos in china, but some video stock site like Gettyimages will ask licence if there are logo in the video, or you can sell as editorial