The Hong Kong agency responsible for drone safety, HKCAD, has provided several internet-accessible details on flying for fun or work. The highlights are enumerated below. For more details, go to the link above. Are drones allowed in Hong Kong? According to HKCAD, drone use is allowed in Hong Kong, subject to HKCAD regulations. Read on for more details. Here are the most important rules to know for flying a drone in Hong Kong: The classification of SUA in respect of each flight and its operations are as follows -SUA Category A1SUA weighing not more than 250gCategory A2SUA weighing more than 250g but not more than 7kgCategory BSUA weighing more than 7kg but not more than 25kg Operations Standard Category A1 OperationsOperations of Category A1 SUA within applicable operating requirements(prior permission from CAD not required)Standard Category A2 OperationsOperations of Category A2 SUA and Category A1 SUA under exemption within applicable operating requirements(prior permission from CAD not required)Advanced Operations(a) Operations exceeding applicable operating requirements (except wholly within an enclosed area);(b) Operations of Category B SUA (SUA weighing over 7kg);(c) Operations of SUA carrying dangerous goods;(d)Operations for which any part of the flight is within a restricted flying zone (except wholly within an enclosed area).(prior permission from the CAD required) Under the new regulatory regime following the commencement of the SUA Order on 1 June 2022, small unmanned aircraft (SUA) operations are regulated under a risk-based approach. Based on the weight of the SUA and the operational risk level, SUA operations of different risk levels are subject to the corresponding regulatory requirements. These requirements include registration and labelling of SUA, registration of remote pilots, training and assessment, equipment, operating requirements and insurance. While SUA operations of 250g or below are in general subject to operating requirements only, prior permission from Civil Aviation Department (CAD) will be required for advanced operations involving higher risk.Please refer to the Safety Requirements Documents for details. Category of OperationStandard Category A1 OperationStandard Category A2 OperationAdvancedOperationCriteriaCategory A1 SUA (weight ≤ 250 g)(Within Category A1 operating requirements, see Q6)Category A2 SUA (250 g 7 kg and ≤ 25 kg; (iii) operations involving carriage of dangerous goods; or (iv) operations in restricted flying zone (except wholly within the enclosed area)Registration and labelling of SUA✓✓Registration of remote pilots✓✓Training and assessment of remote pilots✓Basic equipment (flight log and geo-awareness)✓✓Permission from CAD prior to operations required✓SUA insurance for third-party liability (bodily injury and/or death)(Will commence on a later date to be specified)✓ (Minimum coverage: HKD $10 million) If you are flying for commercial purposes and/or if your drone weighs more than 7 kilograms (15.4 pounds), you must apply to the HKCAD. However, no application is required if flying a drone weighing less than 7 kilograms (15.4 pounds) for recreational purposes. If the drone pilot is flying for commercial purposes, they must keep records of each flight per the permission granted and make them available to HKCAD upon request. If the UAS is being used commercially, the operator must maintain and submit an operations manual outlining the procedures to be followed when operating the UAS. This document is a critical requirement for HKCAD to accurately assess the application and the safety case before granting permission. Drones cannot be flown within an airport’s 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) radius. Except during takeoff and landing, drones may not be flown within 50 meters (164 feet) of a person (other than those involved in the flight), vessel, vehicle, or structure. While the drone is in flight, the pilot must always maintain visual contact with it.