About Japanese laws and rules regarding UAV including drones

Here is what I posted on LinkedIn's company page the other day.

In Japan, drones can't fly easily. There are all kinds of laws involved in flying drones, including the Civil Aeronautics Act.

Here are two ways you can't fly a drone as follows;

a) No-fly airspace in Japan

Please kindly be advised that in the following airspace, flying a drone (UAV) is prohibited by laws in Japan.

1. To secure the safety of aircrafts departing and landing, you cannot fly a drone without permission near an airport.

2. Cannot fly a drone without permission at elevations over 150 meters from the ground or water surface.

3. Cannot fly a drone over densely populated area without permission.

If you would liken to fly a drone in the prohibited airspace above mentioned, you must have a permission by the director of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Regional Civil Aviation Bureau in advance.

b) Flying or Operation method you must observe in Japan

Followings are the rules stated below when flying UAV including drone in Japan.

1. Drone flight limited to daytime only (from sunset to sundown; prohibited at night).

2. Must maintain visual contact (with your naked eye) of the drone and its surrounding areas at all times.

3. Must maintain a minimum distance of 30 meters from a person (this means “a third person”) or an object (this means “a third person's building or a car”) during operating a drone.

4. Prohibited from flying a drone over event.

5. Do not carry dangerous objects such as explosives.

6. Do not drop anything from a drone.

In addition, it is necessary to comply with the Radio Law in Japan. For detailed information regarding these matters, feel free to contact us as we have track records in the past.