Akihabara News (Tokyo) — According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism (MLIT), drones which are tethered to a wire or string will no longer require permission or approval to fly during nighttime and in densely populated areas.
The Civil Aeronautics Act previously banned flying drones near airports and in the flightpath of planes.
In April 2015, Yasuo Yamamoto flew a drone carrying sand that contained traces of radiation onto the roof of the prime minister’s office in an act of protest against nuclear power.
The incident was followed by Yamamoto’s arrest as well as revisions to the Civil Aeronautics Act in December 2015, banning flights by drones weighing over 200 grams in urban areas, altitudes of 150 meters or more, and near airports. This meant that drones were banned in all of the 23 central wards of Tokyo.
In June 2020, the act was revised in June to make it mandatory for those who possess drones for flight purposes to register with the national government. A punishment of imprisonment for up to one year, or a fine of up to ¥500,000 (about US$4,650) was listed for those who fly unregistered drones.
Now, with the struggle between technological advancements and security beginning to tilt more towards the side of technology, the act is being revised once again to allow more freedom with drone usage.
Official permission will no longer be required in cases where drones are tethered by wires or strings of thirty meters or less. By limiting the range of the drones in this way, and with reasonable monitoring the airspace against the entry of third parties, officials will soon allow flights even in urban areas, at nighttime, and beyond visual range.
The amendment of relevant parts of the Civil Aeronautics Act will be amended and applied in October.
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