On Dec. 10, revisions to the Aviation Act regulating the use of drones went into effect. Under the new law, the operation of drones in highly populated areas (defined by a population density of 4,000 or more people per square km) without permission from the national government is prohibited. These zones are based on statistics from the 2010 census, and in Kyushu they account for 3% of the island’s total area, mostly in the prefectural capitals. Fukuoka has the most no fly zones with 36 (11.4% of land area). The new law also prohibits the flying of drones near airports and higher than 150 m. Source: Mainichi Shimbun
