Hu Sentenced in China for Selling Drones With Removed Flight Limits

What changed

Shenzhen police investigated Hu, who illegally removed no-fly, restricted-flight and altitude limits from drone control systems, then sold the modified aircraft online for more than RMB20,000 in profit.

In June 2026, Longgang District People’s Court sentenced him to eight months in prison, fined him RMB5,000 and ordered his illegal proceeds recovered. Police seized computers, phones and modified drones, including several already sold.

Why it matters

This case treats drone “hacking” as more than a tinkering offence. Altering the software changes the aircraft’s built-in safety boundaries, and investigators found multiple unauthorised high-altitude flight records among the drones involved.

The punishment also reaches both sides of the scheme: the prison sentence addresses illegal control of computer systems, while the fine and recovery order target the money made from selling altered aircraft. Anyone flying such a drone in controlled airspace can face a stop order and fines; serious cases can bring confiscation, administrative detention or criminal liability.

The broader message is straightforward: removing a drone’s restrictions does not remove the restrictions imposed by law. It can turn a modified device, and the person behind it, into a criminal case.