Chinese tourist questioned for illegally flying drone over Ginza district

Create fegulation that seized drone be burned and violators entailed.

This is news? A traffic violation?

Drones are fine they should just make people get licenses or something, banning them is really backward.

There are signs banning smoking and other things. Are there any signs banning the flying of drones in particular areas? How is anyone, and particularly a tourist, supposed to know where they can and can't fly drones?

@gaijintraveler - if we put up signs for everything you cannot do, it's going to get ugly pretty fast.

Dromes are becoming a problem due to people who lack common sense using them. Tighter regulation is needed, as well as compulsory training and licencing. You shouldn't be able to buy or use a drone unless you have training and a licence. There have been several 'near miss' incidents with planes over London due to idiots flying drones.

@gaijintraveler - The law in Tokyo is basically that it's banned from all parks and anywhere within like 50 metres of any 'bystander' and 30 metres from any building. Many parks and event spaces also actually do have signs up specifically banning drones.

In other words, you can't fly them anywhere in Tokyo as a tourist. A cursory search will tell any visitor this.

The real news here is that someone actually reported it and the police actually did something about it. Looks like this is one law for the 'actually enforced' column.

It should be common sense that you don't fly these things over crowded city areas (sign or no sign).

Presume they should just confiscate the drone, slap the guy w/ a high enough fine so other's don't try and move on.

They will soon be used to keep an eye on the population so the powers have brought in these laws from the get go.

Dan Lewis

@gaijintraveler - if we put up signs for everything you cannot do, it's going to get ugly pretty fast.

Don't take this the wrong way, but this is Tokyo. I've seen 3 of the same sign on the same pole before lol

People flying drones in unauthorized areas should be thrown out of the country and not boomerang back again. But I may be way out of line here. :)

People flying drones in unauthorized areas should be thrown out of the country

Including Japanese?

I loathe the things myself (drones, not Japanese obvs) but at this stage they appear to be quite random and difficult to police. Or am I wrong?

@Toasted Heretic Today 03:59 pm JST

Including Japanese?

Haha. Of course not! The words may have glided off my tongue. Thanks for the feedback. :)

I loathe the things myself (drones, not Japanese obvs) but at this stage they appear to be quite random and difficult to police. Or am I wrong?

I certainly think so.

@Toasted Heretic

I mean, you're absolutely right.

As usual, lots of negative sentiment toward the Man..Drones present a danger to helicopters and planes, as well as pedestrians. It's common sense they should be closely regulated - or do you want a news story about a hapless drone pilot bringing down a heli onto the busy streets of Tokyo? Not to mention, civilians are also capable of spying and peeping.

Never read or heard about a single incident/accident with a drone and a copter or airplane. 

Drones are currently interfering with firefighting efforts in California. They can be, and are, a hazard.

Don't take this the wrong way, but this is Tokyo. I've seen 3 of the same sign on the same pole before lol

And how did it look?

Near misses are serious, people. I have a small drone that gave me a nasty cut when I wasn't careful. It is completely legal and NOT banned anywhere by law, as it is under a certain weight. If a small drone can give a nasty cut, imagine what a proper one can do. They will remove your finger and/or cut you up awfully bad.