Filming with drones in Hong Kong: CAD rules and filming permissions

The law and the regulator

According to CAD's website, the Small Unmanned Aircraft Order was fully implemented on 1 December 2022. It takes a risk-based approach, setting requirements according to a drone's weight and operational risk, including registration and labelling of the aircraft, registration, training and assessment of remote pilots, and equipment and operating requirements. A government press release added that the new regulation commenced on 1 June of the same year: offences relating to hazardous acts, restricted flying zones and enforcement took effect immediately, while the other new requirements had a six-month grace period ending on 30 November 2022.

From 18 July 2025, the Small Unmanned Aircraft (Amendment) Order 2025 took effect, extending regulation to drones weighing more than 25 kg but not more than 150 kg. In a 2022 press release, a CAD spokesperson said that remote pilots and responsible persons (that is, the owners) who breach the requirements of the Small Unmanned Aircraft Order are criminally liable and, on conviction, face a maximum fine of HK$100,000 and imprisonment for two years.

Categories by weight

CAD sorts small unmanned aircraft into four categories by their weight on each flight:

Category A1 also has an exemption arrangement. Under the Director-General of Civil Aviation's Gazette Notice No. 2303, Category A1 drones fitted with flight log and geo-awareness functions may fly under the Category A2 operating requirements. CAD's Safety Requirements Document explains that these drones must also meet the other Category A2 regulatory requirements, such as registration, labelling and equipment, and gives the DJI Mini and Autel EVO Nano series as common examples. The table on CAD's website calls these drones "Category A1 under exemption" and groups their requirements in the same column as Category A2.

Standard and advanced operations

A Category A1, exempted Category A1 or Category A2 drone flown within the corresponding operating requirements is a "standard operation" and does not need prior permission from CAD. The following are "advanced operations" and need CAD permission before the flight:

• The drone weighs not more than 7 kg, but the flight goes beyond the Category A1 or A2 operating requirements.
• Operating a Category B or Category C drone.
• Carrying dangerous goods.
• Any part of the flight is within a restricted flying zone, unless the flight is wholly within an enclosed area.
• Cross-boundary operations, where part of the flight is inside Hong Kong and part is outside.

Main limits on standard operations

CAD lists the standard operating requirements below, with the specific values specified in Gazette Notice No. 1276. The "Category A2" column also applies to exempted Category A1 drones. On a shoot, the four items that usually need the most attention are daylight, line of sight, height and lateral distance:

CAD's small unmanned aircraft advisory circular AC-006 defines "daylight hours" as the time from half an hour before sunrise until half an hour after sunset (exclusive of both), and sunrise and sunset times can be checked with the Hong Kong Observatory. If golden-hour filming at dusk runs past half an hour after sunset, it is already outside a standard operation.

Registration, labelling, equipment and insurance

• Registration and labelling. Apart from Category A1 operations with a drone weighing not more than 250 g that meet the relevant operating requirements, all small unmanned aircraft and remote pilots must be registered. The responsible person must be aged 18 or above and the remote pilot aged 14 or above; the "advanced rating (C)" needed to operate a Category C drone is only assigned to people aged 18 or above (Safety Requirements Document, Issue 2, paragraph 5.1.2). Registration is done on CAD's eSUA platform (esua.cad.gov.hk). The drone must carry a registration label issued by CAD; you cannot print the label yourself.
• Equipment. For Category A2 standard operations (including exempted Category A1) and for advanced operations, the drone must have flight log and geo-awareness functions.
• Training. Remote pilots for advanced operations must complete advanced training and pass an assessment at a CAD-approved training organisation to attain an advanced rating.
• Insurance. CAD states that advanced operations require third-party liability insurance (bodily injury and/or death), with minimum cover of HK$10 million for Categories A1, A2 and B, and for Category C, by weight, HK$15 million (not more than 75 kg) or HK$20 million (more than 75 kg). For Category A2 standard operations (including exempted Category A1), CAD's website states that the insurance requirement will take effect on a date to be specified. Your production policy also needs the drone declared to your insurance broker (see Production insurance in Hong Kong: what is required).

Restricted flying zones

Before each flight, check the latest restricted flying zones on the Drone Map in eSUA. Examples listed by CAD include Victoria Harbour, the Express Rail Link West Kowloon Control Point, Hong Kong International Airport and the area around Cheung Chau Helipad. The Penny's Bay area (for example Hong Kong Disneyland) is a prohibition area under the Air Navigation (Flight Prohibition) Order. In other words, flying around Victoria Harbour is an advanced operation.

When a shoot commonly needs permission

CAD advisory circular AC-006 deals specifically with aerial photography and lists these situations as needing CAD permission: flying outside daylight hours, being unable to keep the aircraft within visual line of sight in the specified way (for example, extended visual line of sight operations), and being unable to keep the specified lateral distance from uninvolved persons, vehicles, vessels or structures. Night operations and extended visual line of sight operations each have their own advisory circular (AC-003, AC-004), and night operation and extended visual line of sight operation must not be involved in the same flight. Permission for advanced operations is applied for under circular AC-002, and the application form is available in English only. AC-006 notes that these permissions are granted by CAD under section 37 of the Small Unmanned Aircraft Order, and that the operating requirements concerned are set out in section 16(1) of the Order.

Two points in AC-006 are especially useful for film crews:

1. The definition of an "involved person". Someone who has been clearly briefed, understands the risks, has reasonable protection and will follow instructions counts as involved in that flight. The circular's example is a wedding: if only participants, guests and staff are present, all of them meet these conditions, and the flight meets the other operating requirements, it is a standard operation. Cast and crew on a set can be arranged with reference to this definition.
2. Limits on flying over passers-by and roads. If an advanced operation cannot avoid flying over uninvolved persons, vehicles, vessels or structures, or cannot keep sufficient lateral distance, it must not maintain sustained flight over them (especially an assembly of people), must keep the time spent overflying as short as possible, and must avoid flying over highways, railways or strategic routes. The requirements AC-006 sets for advanced aerial photography operations also include a flying speed not exceeding 20 km/h.

How this relates to location and other permissions

CAD's rules deal only with aviation safety. AC-006 states that the operator should obtain the consent of the relevant land or property owner, management or authority where necessary; CAD's tips for visitors also note that other legislation, bylaws or regulations may restrict when and where you can fly, and that you should contact the relevant authorities before flying where necessary.

• The Film Promotion and Facilitation Section's list of permits and application forms (Chinese page) has an item, "Use of unmanned aircraft systems", which links to CAD's Safety Requirements Document and guidance page.
• The Leisure and Cultural Services Department has selected five leisure venues for small unmanned aircraft activities. These venues are open only to organisations hiring the whole venue for drone activities, and enquiries go to the venue concerned.
• For filming in public places, the location filming notification section of the Film Promotion and Facilitation Section's list includes a form for the Hong Kong Police Force's Public Relations Wing ("Location Filming in Public Areas"). For the full picture of application channels, see Filming permits in Hong Kong: which department to start with, or tick through the items in the filming permit checklist.

Pre-shoot checklist

1. Confirm the take-off weight of the aircraft with its accessories, and set its category.
2. Check every aerial shot against the operating requirements: time, height, distance, speed, and whether it flies over passers-by.
3. If anything goes beyond a standard operation, allow time to apply to CAD for advanced operation permission.
4. On the Drone Map, check whether every take-off point and flight path is within a restricted flying zone.
5. Confirm that the drone and remote pilot are registered and the label is attached.
6. Get consent from the owners or managers of the take-off point and of the locations under the flight path, and write it into the location agreement.
7. Tell your insurance broker and confirm that the policy covers drone operations.
8. Record every aerial shot under the "Permits" and "Shooting requirements" categories of the breakdown sheet (see An introduction to script breakdown).

Frequently asked questions

Do drones under 250 g need to be registered?

If the drone weighs not more than 250 g and flies within the Category A1 operating requirements, neither the drone nor the remote pilot needs to be registered. Category A1 drones flown under the Category A2 requirements by virtue of the exemption notice, drones of Category A2 and above, and any advanced operation all require the drone, the responsible person and the remote pilot to be registered on eSUA.

Can I film with a drone at night?

Standard operations are limited to daylight hours, that is, from half an hour before sunrise until half an hour after sunset. Flying outside those hours is an advanced operation and needs prior permission from CAD, which has a separate advisory circular on night operations, AC-003.

Can the drone fly over cast and crew during a shoot?

CAD advisory circular AC-006 defines an "involved person": someone who has been clearly briefed, understands the risks, has reasonable protection and will follow instructions. The lateral distance limits apply to uninvolved persons, so before the shoot make sure every participant on set clearly understands the flight arrangements.

With CAD permission, can I take off from any location?

No. CAD's rules deal with aviation safety. AC-006 states that the operator should obtain the consent of the land or property owner, management or relevant authority where necessary, and other legislation and bylaws may impose further restrictions.

What do I need for aerial filming over Victoria Harbour?

CAD lists the Victoria Harbour area as a restricted flying zone. If any part of a flight is within a restricted flying zone, it is an advanced operation and needs prior permission from CAD.

References

1. Civil Aviation Department, Small Unmanned Aircraft Order (Cap. 448G) (Chinese page): www.cad.gov.hk/chinese/sua.html
2. Civil Aviation Department, overview of the Small Unmanned Aircraft Order: categorisation (Chinese page): www.cad.gov.hk/chinese/sua_overview_categorisation.html
3. Civil Aviation Department, overview of the Small Unmanned Aircraft Order: regulatory requirements (Chinese page): www.cad.gov.hk/chinese/sua_overview_regulatoryreq.html
4. Civil Aviation Department, safety requirements and guidance: operating requirements (Chinese page): www.cad.gov.hk/chinese/sua_safetyreq_operatingreq.html
5. Civil Aviation Department, tips for visitors (Chinese page): www.cad.gov.hk/chinese/sua_tipsforvisitors.html
6. Civil Aviation Department, Safety Requirements Document and related guidance (download page for AC-002, AC-003, AC-004 and AC-006; Chinese page): www.cad.gov.hk/chinese/sua_new.html
7. Civil Aviation Department, Small Unmanned Aircraft Advisory Circular AC-006, "Guidelines for Aerial Survey or Aerial Photography Operations Using Small Unmanned Aircraft" (18 July 2025; English PDF: www.cad.gov.hk/documents/AC-006_E.pdf; Chinese PDF: www.cad.gov.hk/documents/AC-006_C.pdf)
8. Civil Aviation Department, "Safety Requirements Document for Small Unmanned Aircraft Operations" (Issue 2, July 2025; English PDF: www.cad.gov.hk/documents/Safety_Requirements_Document.pdf; Chinese PDF: www.cad.gov.hk/documents/Safety_Requirements_Document_tc.pdf)
9. Director-General of Civil Aviation, Gazette Notice No. 1276, "Specification of Parameters for Operating Requirements" (2022; English PDF: www.cad.gov.hk/documents/G.N.1276_E.pdf; Chinese PDF: www.cad.gov.hk/documents/G.N.1276_C.pdf)
10. Director-General of Civil Aviation, Gazette Notice No. 2303, "Exemption Notice" (made under section 68(4) of the Small Unmanned Aircraft Order) (2022; English PDF: www.cad.gov.hk/documents/G.N.2303_E.pdf; Chinese PDF: www.cad.gov.hk/documents/G.N.2303_C.pdf)
11. Hong Kong e-Legislation, Cap. 448G Small Unmanned Aircraft Order (Chinese version): www.elegislation.gov.hk/hk/cap448G!zh-Hant-HK
12. Government press release (Chinese), on the full implementation of the Small Unmanned Aircraft Order (Cap. 448G) on 1 December (2022-11-30): www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202211/30/P2022113000485.htm
13. Government press release (Chinese), on legislative amendments for low-altitude economy development taking effect on 18 July (2025-07-17): www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/202507/17/P2025071700589.htm
14. Leisure and Cultural Services Department, hiring leisure venues for small unmanned aircraft activities (Chinese page): www.lcsd.gov.hk/tc/facilities/otherinfo/sua.html
15. Film Promotion and Facilitation Section, permits and application forms (Chinese page): fpf.ccidahk.gov.hk/tc/forms/index.php

The pages above were accessed on 31 October 2026. The English titles of the advisory circular, the Safety Requirements Document and the two gazette notices are the official English titles; the other descriptions are our translations of the Chinese page titles.

Published 25 September 2026. Last updated: 31 October 2026.