First-person view (FPV) flight, especially beyond visual line of sight (BVR) flight, is controversial in terms of safety and legal regulation. Its high speed, low altitude, and close proximity to people pose potential risks of injury, property damage, and public safety disturbance. Frequent safety incidents have prompted increasingly stringent flight restriction policies. For example, in China, regulatory measures have evolved from a ban on flying within Beijing's Fifth Ring Road to more specific interim regulations for the management of civilian drones in Shenzhen, Shanghai, and other cities, with the installation of signal jammers in key areas.
Various countries have strict regulations on the radio frequencies used for FPV image transmission. In China, the 1.2 GHz band is prohibited for aerial equipment, and drones have dedicated frequency bands such as 840.5-845 MHz, 1430-1444 MHz, and 2408-2440 MHz. In the United States, an amateur radio license is required to use the 1.2 GHz band. In the United Kingdom, there are clear restrictions on the transmission power of the 5.8 GHz and 2.4 GHz bands, such as a limit of 25 mW for 5.8 GHz. Choosing an open frequency band (such as the mainstream 5.8GHz) and complying with the regulations of local radio management agencies (such as the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China and the FCC of the United States) are fundamental to legal flight.
Therefore, compliant operation is a basic prerequisite for FPV flight. Before flying, it is essential to check and confirm whether the area is a restricted or no-fly zone, stay away from densely populated areas, and carefully check that equipment (such as batteries, propellers, and image transmission systems) is in good condition and has sufficient power to ensure that the entire flight is legal and compliant.
