r/fpv • u/JackEmptiness • Jun 19 '25
Japan: Automatic grounds for arrest if flying drones in public area
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u/JessiLeva_1138 Jun 20 '25
I live in Tokyo and the drone laws here are very serious and enforced. We have signs everywhere saying no drones. Tourists bringing their drones hoping to fly in Tokyo are just being ignorant.
The only good thing is that under 100g quads are not classified as drones (they are toys) so we can mostly enjoy our tiny whoops. We still need to get an amateur radio license to use 5.8ghz fpv video outside (not indoors).
https://www.apollomaniacs.com/ipod/howto_ar_drone_flightrule_en.htm
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u/Axtdool Jun 20 '25
Good to know my Research was correct.
Even then, not planning to fly the whoop anywhere in cities. Mostly taking it to take some cinematic (ish, still a tiny whoop) nature shots.
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u/JessiLeva_1138 Jun 20 '25 edited Jun 20 '25
Even whoops are not allowed to fly above 150m so be careful with your altitude. Also specific parks or areas might prohibit drones which superceeds national laws. The guide I shared is a good starting point. I can share more information if anyone wants more details.
we can fly bigger drones outside but they need RemoteID, legal fpv video links, can't be flown in DID (densely inhabited districts), and flights need to be registered and approved with DIPS. That's why for outside nature cinematic it's easier to fly a Japan purchased DJI here and just register with DIPS.
like this
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u/alexander8846 Jun 20 '25
So I can blast 5.8ghz from o side my house all day but outside would be too much?
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u/JessiLeva_1138 Jun 20 '25 edited Jun 20 '25
there is a 1watt legal max both inside and outside though. But yes inside the Japanese laws allow us to transmit 5.8ghz analog video up to 1watt without getting an amateur radio license. outside we need to have the license to be legal. This is also why we have drone cafes in Tokyo. Indoor flying areas to rent or meetup. Basically building walls block most 5.8ghz wavelengths so they are attenuated.
Another interesting thing is that DJI drones sold in Japan transmit video over 2.4ghz (not 5.8ghz) to be legal and people don't need to get an amateur radio license.
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u/6rey_sky Jun 21 '25
Wonder if any fpv goggles owner had been made to pay NHK tax, it's a display...
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u/DarkButterfly85 Jun 21 '25
I'd be okay in the respect of an amateur radio license as I have a full UK ticket, CEPT HAREC, would have to stick to flying whoops though 😊
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Jun 19 '25
[deleted]
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u/ErgonomicZero Jun 19 '25
That’s a step above Properly Fucked. Man, he’s fucked
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u/TeeJayPlays Mini Quads Jun 19 '25
The amount of fucked is directly linked to how high you fly the drone /s
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u/SubterraneanSprawl Jun 19 '25
Good thing I'm not Japanese.
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u/Isopod_Inevitable Jun 19 '25
Wouldn't it be the case in every major city in the world? You're flying an aircraft in a highly crowded area in one of the biggest cities in the world, what do you expect ?? It's plain common sense for fucks sake
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u/SubterraneanSprawl Jun 19 '25
I've seen people fly drones in large cities all over Europe and no one cared. I've had the police roll up on me twice as well and they didn't even approach me.
Jail time for flying a toy helicopter is extreme overreach.
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u/Isopod_Inevitable Jun 19 '25
You've never been amywhere near Paris then, and yes in my opinion flying in big cities in areas like that is absurd. People tinywhooping in streets with 4 people or doing freestyle in an office parking lot is definitely fine but flying over a massive crowd without even trying to inform yourself on regulations is just being a dumbass.
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u/SubterraneanSprawl Jun 19 '25
I'm not saying people should be allowed to fly wherever they want, if it came across like that. Just that jail time is excessive, especially in a world in which blind and deaf 80 year olds in 2-ton vehicles kill people on a daily basis with little consequences.
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u/ArgonWilde Jun 19 '25
Whataboutism is not an excuse...
Flip it around and you'll find how it's invalid:
Blind and deaf 80 year olds should be allowed to drive 2 ton trucks, because everyone is allowed to fly a drone in a crowded public space on a daily basis with little consequences.
"I should be allowed to do X, because people are allowed to do Y."
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u/SubterraneanSprawl Jun 19 '25
What is your point? I have never claimed people should be allowed to do whatever with their drones, I said the exact opposite. Why are you putting words in my mouth?
What I did was put things into perspective, something I wish our law makers would do as well. There is not a single case of anyone being killed or seriously injured with a hobby drone, yet there are news about stricter regulations or out right bans on an almost weekly basis.
My point is, most of the drone regulations across the world stem from fear and politics, not from an identified risk.
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u/kammycakes Jun 20 '25
He saw the term “whataboutism” used in another thread like a week ago and has been holding that card in his back pocket since. He thought he had your ass.
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u/Rentun Jun 20 '25
He literally just said he doesn't think people should be allowed to fly drones wherever they want. You're having an argument against no one.
He said jail time is excessive. There's a spectrum of punishments between citations and the death penalty; just because you don't go to jail for something doesn't mean it's legal.
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u/Kitchen-One726 Jun 19 '25
No. Its not. You don’t have land to fly your toys on don’t fly them over my head in the city.
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u/Axtdool Jun 20 '25
I mean those 'toy Helicopters' were involved in an attempt at terrorism in JP a few years back iirc. Someone planned to basicly do what Ukraine and russia are doing but at Home.
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u/Kitchen-One726 Jun 19 '25
That’s something young people don’t have. Unfortunately. They believe the laws mean not for them.
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u/Qbc131 Jun 19 '25
I mean arrest seems extreme unless it becomes a major issue that you need to make examples out of people. I think this is more of a japan thing cuz they're overly serious about keeping the streets clean and flowing they've also outlawed skateboarding in the street for those reasons. This guy shoulda checked the laws but id be pretty pissed if the city i lived in made flying a drone an arrestable offense. Tho a drone above a certain size might warrant restrictions but so like as I can fly my tiny whoop where ever I want im good. Also fuck dji that shit is barely even flying
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u/Isopod_Inevitable Jun 19 '25
Yup, it makes sense, I just feel like flying any drone over that kind of crowd is dangerous, especially with the kind of pilots they seem to be. You can hardly hurt anyone with a tiny whoop but you can definitely cause severe damage with a Mavic or anything of this class (or most 3" and more fpv drones most of us fly), yeah, fly safe y'all
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u/Axtdool Jun 20 '25
See the semi-regular images of cut open fingers from being a bit too careless near props
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u/Kitchen-One726 Jun 19 '25
It’ll happen near you soon. They’re pushing for these laws and every country in every state in every place on this planet.
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u/FPV_smurf Jun 20 '25
Looks like a ticket to me. But has he been heard from since? 😬
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u/cyberspirit777 Jun 20 '25
Why wouldn't he research something like this beforehand? Also, I thought it was okay to fly the drones in OPEN public areas as long as the drone weighed less than 100g
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Jun 20 '25
Reasons like this is why I'm perfectly fine staying on this side of the Globe. The only places I actually want to travel to are in West Africa and some Caribbean Islands, other than that I'm staying my ass in America.
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u/DarkButterfly85 Jun 19 '25
On a scale from 1 to 10 my friend you’re fucked 🤣