China vows crackdown on illegal drone flight system tampering

BEIJING -- China's Ministry of Public Security on Monday vowed to maintain a tough stance against the illegal use of drone flight control systems by releasing 10 typical cases of such offenses.

In some cases, individuals used technical means to help others illicitly bypass drone restrictions, such as altitude limits and no-fly zones, or tampered with factory-set payload parameters, assisting unauthorized drone flights for illegal profit, according to the ministry.

It warned that such acts pose risks to public and national security. All suspects involved in the 10 cases have been subjected to criminal compulsory measures by police, with further investigation underway.

A ministry official also warned that privately providing services to remove no-fly zone and altitude restrictions for drone owners may constitute a criminal offense, adding that police will continue to crack down on such acts in accordance with the law.

Experts said drones with altitude restrictions removed could intrude into civil aviation routes and potentially cause collisions with serious consequences, while those with disabled geographic restrictions could enter prohibited areas, such as military control zones, risking the leakage of state secrets.

In addition, drones with altered performance parameters are more likely to lose control and crash during flight, posing a direct threat to lives and property, experts noted.