Guide · Registration

Remote ID and drone registration in Japan

Every drone of 100 g or more must be registered before it flies outdoors in Japan, and almost every registered drone must broadcast Remote ID. The portal is in Japanese. Here is the whole thing in English, in six steps, ending with the aircraft on a live map.

Who this applies to

Anyone flying an aircraft of 100 g or more outdoors in Japan: residents, visitors, companies. The threshold was lowered from 200 g to 100 g on 20 June 2022, the same day registration became mandatory and Remote ID came into force. Toys under 100 g are outside the registration rule but still bound by the key-facilities law and local rules.

Six steps

1
Check the weight
Aircraft of 100 g and above (including battery) must be registered before any outdoor flight. Below 100 g, registration is not required.
2
Create a DIPS 2.0 account
DIPS 2.0 is MLIT's portal and is in Japanese. Individuals verify identity with My Number Card, a driver's licence or, for foreign nationals, a passport. Browser translation is enough for the forms; the field names are consistent.
3
Register the aircraft
Enter the manufacturer, model and serial number. Pay the fee online (the amount depends on the identity method; check the current fee on DIPS). A registration number beginning with JU is issued.
4
Mark the aircraft
Write or print the JU number on the aircraft body, legibly and durably. A label is fine.
5
Set up Remote ID
Most aircraft sold in Japan since 2022 have built-in Remote ID: enter the JU number in the manufacturer's app and it broadcasts. Older aircraft take an external Remote ID module. Aircraft pre-registered before 20 June 2022 are exempt.
6
Put it on the map
Add the JU number on Airffic World. The aircraft's position and altitude appear on the live map when it flies, and the history is kept. Free.

What Remote ID is, and is not

Remote ID is a short-range broadcast from the aircraft: registration number, position, altitude, speed and the controller’s position, readable by anyone nearby with a receiver app. It is not tracking by the government in real time, and it is not a flight permit. It is a number plate that can be read from the ground.

It is also not the same as the flight plan. Flights in restricted airspace still need a permit and, for specified flights, a plan filed on DIPS 2.0 before take-off. Which airspace is restricted is covered in Drone no-fly zones in Japan.

Questions people ask

Can a foreign national register a drone in Japan?

Yes. Registration is by aircraft, not by nationality. DIPS 2.0 accepts a passport for identity verification when you do not have My Number Card. The portal is in Japanese; browser translation handles the forms.

What exactly is Remote ID?

A radio broadcast (Bluetooth or Wi-Fi) from the aircraft carrying its registration number, position, altitude and the position of the controller. Anyone with a receiver app can read it. It has been mandatory since 20 June 2022 for registered aircraft, with a few exemptions.

What are the exemptions?

Aircraft registered in the pre-registration window before 20 June 2022; flights in a specified area notified in advance with observers; tethered flights with a rope of 30 m or less; and flights for the purpose of testing Remote ID. Everything else broadcasts.

Is the registration number the same as Remote ID?

No. The JU registration number is issued once; Remote ID is the equipment that broadcasts it. You need both: the number on the aircraft, and the broadcast in the air.

How long does registration last?

Three years. Renewal is on DIPS 2.0. Change of owner, address or aircraft details must be updated there too.

I am visiting Japan for two weeks. Is it worth it?

If the aircraft is 100 g or more and you will fly outdoors, registration is required regardless of the length of stay. Many visitors decide it is not worth it and rent or leave the drone at home. If you do register, most of the paperwork can be done before you travel.

Sources

Civil Aeronautics Act, registration of unmanned aircraft (in force 20 June 2022; 100 g threshold; Remote ID requirement and exemptions).
MLIT, DIPS 2.0 (Drone/UAS Information Platform System): registration, renewal, flight plans. Fees and identity methods as published there.
The sequence of legal changes is on Japanese drone law timeline; every official link is on Japan drone links.

Updated 2026-09-24. A guide, not legal advice. Fees and exemptions are as published by MLIT at the time of writing; check DIPS 2.0 for the current figures.

Registered? Put it on the map

Add the JU number on Airffic World and the aircraft's position and altitude appear on the live map while it flies. The history is kept. Free.