Guide — Civil Aeronautics Act, in practice
How to fly a drone in Japan
You have heard that you cannot just take it out of the box and fly. Here is what you actually have to do, in order, whether you live here or are visiting for a week.
The 30-second version
- 100 g or more — is an unmanned aircraft. Registration and Remote ID are mandatory — for visitors too.
- Where — airport airspace, above 150 m, Densely Inhabited Districts (most of every city) and emergency airspace need a permit.
- How — night, beyond line of sight, within 30 m of people or property, over events, hazardous cargo and dropping objects need approval.
- Neither applies — and you can fly with registration alone. Landowner consent and local park rules are separate.
- A licence — is not required for most flights. Only Level 4 (beyond line of sight over people) requires Class 1.
- Afterwards — a flight log is mandatory for specified flights. Keeping position history is wise for all of them.
Rules as of 2026-09-17. They change at least yearly; the MLIT links at the bottom are the primary source.
1. It starts with the weight
The Civil Aeronautics Act applies to any aircraft of 100 g or more including the battery. That threshold dropped from 200 g in June 2022, so many “toy” drones that were exempt no longer are.
Under 100 g you avoid registration and the permit system, but not everything: airport airspace and the 150 m ceiling still apply, and the Act on Prohibition of Flights over Key Facilities — covering the Diet, the Prime Minister’s Office, the Imperial Palace, nuclear sites and similar — applies regardless of weight.
2. Before you fly: registration and Remote ID
Registration is done on MLIT’s DIPS 2.0 portal, which has an English interface and accepts foreign nationals. You will be asked for identification (a passport, and depending on the verification route a second document), the aircraft’s make, model and serial number, and photographs. A registration ID beginning with JU is issued and must be shown on the aircraft. It is valid for three years.
Registered aircraft must carry Remote ID, broadcasting identity in flight. Built-in on many current models; otherwise an external module. If you are bringing a drone from abroad, check this before you leave — it is the step most likely to stop a visitor from flying.
Allow one to two weeks for registration before the date you want to fly. It is not something to start at the hotel.
Once registered, you can add the aircraft on theAirffic World home pageand follow its position and altitude on the live map while it flies.
3. Where you need a permit
| What it is | How to check | |
|---|---|---|
| Airport airspace | Zones around airports and heliports; the extent varies by airport | The map in DIPS 2.0 |
| Above 150 m | Measured from ground or water level, not from take-off point | Your aircraft's altitude display |
| Densely Inhabited District (DID) | Census-defined built-up areas. Effectively all of central Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and most towns | Geospatial Information Authority map, DID layer |
| Emergency airspace | Set temporarily during disasters | MLIT notices, DIPS 2.0 |
Separately, the Act on Prohibition of Flights over Key Facilities bans flight around the Diet, the Prime Minister's Office, the Imperial Palace, foreign missions, nuclear sites and US military facilities, regardless of weight.
The DID rule is the one that surprises visitors. The skyline shot from a rooftop, the temple at dawn, the crossing at Shibuya — all inside a DID, and most temples, shrines, parks and stations prohibit drones on their own grounds in any case.
4. Ways of flying that need approval
- Night flightSunset to sunrise
- Beyond visual line of sightNot watching the aircraft with your own eyes. FPV goggles count as beyond line of sight
- Within 30 mOf people, buildings or vehicles not involved in the flight
- Over eventsFestivals, sports, concerts, crowds
- Hazardous cargoFuel, chemicals
- Dropping objectsSpraying, deliveries by release
A flight in permit airspace or by an approval-requiring method is a “specified flight”. A flight that is neither — countryside, daylight, in sight, 30 m clear — needs only registration.
5. Categories and the national licence
| What kind of flight | What you need | |
|---|---|---|
| Category I | Not a specified flight | Registration only |
| Category II | A specified flight, but not over third parties (access controlled) | Permit or approval. A licence plus aircraft certification shortens the application |
| Category III | Over third parties, beyond line of sight — "Level 4" | Class 1 licence + Class 1 aircraft certification + permit/approval |
The Unmanned Aircraft Pilot Certificate (Class 1 and Class 2) has been a national qualification since December 2022. You do not need it for Category I or II. Its value is lighter paperwork and the door to Category III. Since December 2025, private-school certificates no longer reduce application paperwork; only the national licence does.
6. The procedure, start to finish
- 01Weigh the aircraftIf it weighs 100 g or more including the battery, it is an "unmanned aircraft" under the Civil Aeronautics Act and everything below applies. Under 100 g, the registration and permit system does not apply, but airport airspace, the 150 m ceiling and the separate law protecting key facilities still do.
- 02Register it on DIPS 2.0The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) runs an online portal, DIPS 2.0, with an English interface. Foreign nationals can register; you will need a passport and, depending on the verification route, a second document. You receive a registration ID beginning with "JU", which must be displayed on the aircraft. Registration is valid for three years. Allow one to two weeks before you need to fly.
- 03Fit Remote IDRegistered aircraft must broadcast their identity in flight. Many recent models have Remote ID built in; older ones need an external module. Check before you travel — a module bought abroad may not meet the Japanese specification.
- 04Check where and how you plan to flyFlying near airports, above 150 m, over a Densely Inhabited District (DID), or in an emergency airspace needs a permit. Flying at night, beyond visual line of sight, within 30 m of people or property, over events, carrying hazardous material or dropping objects needs approval. If none apply, you can fly with registration alone.
- 05Apply for permits and approvals if neededApplications go through DIPS 2.0 to MLIT. Submit at least ten working days before the flight; first-time applicants should allow three to four weeks for corrections. A blanket application covering a period and an area is possible.
- 06File a flight planFor any flight that needed a permit or approval ("specified flight"), file a flight plan on DIPS 2.0 before take-off so other operators can see it.
- 07Do a pre-flight checkAirframe, battery, propellers, link, GPS, people and property nearby, wind and weather. Flying under the influence of alcohol is prohibited.
- 08Keep a flight logSpecified flights must be logged: date, place, duration, pilot, and aircraft maintenance. Logging every flight is good practice regardless.
7. Beyond the Civil Aeronautics Act
| The issue | What to do | |
|---|---|---|
| Landowners and site managers | Low airspace over private land is the owner's. Temples, shrines, parks and stations almost all prohibit drones | Get consent for take-off, landing and the area you overfly |
| Parks, rivers, coasts | Most municipalities ban or licence drones in public parks | Check the managing authority |
| Roads | Taking off from or obstructing a road | Police road-use permit if needed |
| Radio | 5.7 GHz FPV and some transmitters need a radio licence. Equipment must carry the Japanese conformity mark | Check the mark and the band before you travel |
8. Where visitors actually fly
The honest answer: not in the cities. Rural coastline, mountain valleys away from towns, farmland with the owner’s permission, and commercial drone fields that have already sorted out permission, consent and insurance. The fields cost a little; for a first flight in Japan they are the cheapest option once you count the alternatives.
Questions people ask
Can tourists fly drones in Japan?
Yes, under the same rules as residents. A drone of 100 g or more must be registered on DIPS 2.0 before it flies, and the portal accepts foreign nationals. Most of what a tourist wants to film — city skylines, temples, crowded viewpoints — sits inside a Densely Inhabited District or on private grounds that prohibit drones, so plan for rural locations and get landowner consent.
Do I need a licence to fly a drone in Japan?
Not for most flights. The national licence (Unmanned Aircraft Pilot Certificate, Class 1 or Class 2) exists, but registration plus the relevant permit or approval is what makes a flight legal. The licence shortens applications in some cases and is required for Category III flights (beyond line of sight over people, "Level 4"), which also require a Class 1 aircraft certification.
Where can I fly without a permit?
Anywhere that is not near an airport, not above 150 m, not in a DID, not an emergency airspace — in daylight, within visual line of sight, at least 30 m from people and property, and with the landowner's consent. In practice that means countryside and coastline away from towns. Indoor spaces and netted enclosures are outside the Civil Aeronautics Act entirely.
How do I know if a place is a Densely Inhabited District?
DIDs are census-defined built-up areas. The Geospatial Information Authority map (maps.gsi.go.jp) has a DID layer, and DIPS 2.0 shows DIDs alongside airport airspace. Central Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto are almost entirely DID.
Is a drone under 100 g really exempt?
From registration and the permit system, yes. It is not exempt from airport airspace, the 150 m ceiling, the Act on Prohibition of Flights over Key Facilities (which applies regardless of weight), or from private-property and park rules.
What happens if I fly unregistered or without a permit?
Both are offences under the Civil Aeronautics Act, punishable by fines and, for some offences, imprisonment. The amounts are revised from time to time, so we do not print them; MLIT's pages carry the current figures. More practically: after any incident, the first questions asked are whether the aircraft was registered, whether the flight was permitted, and whether there is a log.
Can I see my registered drone on a map while it flies?
Yes, with Airffic World. Register the aircraft's ID, send position from the aircraft, and it appears on the live map with altitude; flights are kept as history, which backs up your flight log. Airffic World does not file permits on your behalf.
Primary sources (MLIT)
- Unmanned Aircraft Registration Web Portal (English) ↗https://www.mlit.go.jp/koku/drone/en/
- Portal Site of Unmanned Aircraft System (English) ↗https://www.mlit.go.jp/koku/info/en/
- DIPS 2.0 — registration, permits, flight plans ↗https://www.ossportal.dips.mlit.go.jp/
- Geospatial Information Authority map (DID layer) ↗https://maps.gsi.go.jp/
Related
Put your registered drone on the map
Once registered, add the aircraft's ID on Airffic World. Its position and altitude appear on the live map while it flies, and the history is kept. Free.
Register an aircraft →