On December 2, 2025, the National Standardization Administration of China released a new mandatory national standards GB 46860-2025 Unique product identification code for civil unmanned aircraft. The standard was led by the National Technical Committee of Information Technology (SAC/TC28). It will come to effect on 1 January 2027, and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will assume jurisdiction over implementation and enforcement of this mandatory standard.
This standard specifies the coding rules, registration and filing, product packaging marking, marking on the aircraft body surface, storage and security, as well as reporting and broadcasting requirements for the unique product identification code of civil unmanned aircraft systems. It is applicable to the full-lifecycle management of micro, light, small, medium and large civil unmanned aircraft systems.
It is not applicable to model aircraft and self-powered flight toys.
Regarding the design of the unique identification code, the standard distinguishes between two types of stakeholders for civil unmanned aircrafts:
- Civil Unmanned Aircraft made by manufacturers:
The unique product identification code shall consist of 3 parts: the manufacturer’s name code, product model number, and serial number, for a total length of 20 characters. The structure of the unique product identification code is shown in the following figure.
Figure 1. Unique Identification Code for Unmanned Aircraft made by Manufacturer
- Civil Unmanned Aircraft assembled or spliced by individuals:
The unique product identification code for such civil unmanned aircraft shall consist of 2 parts: the individual identification code and the serial number, for a total length of 20 characters. The structure of the unique product identification code is shown in the following figure.
Figure 2. Unique Identification Code for Unmanned Aircraft assembled or spliced by individuals
With respect to the registration and filing, the standard sets out the obligations that producers, importers, original manufacturers, and entrusted manufacturers should fulfill, together with the corresponding procedures and requirements.
(Note: In this context, ‘producers’ refer to individuals who assemble and splice civil unmanned aircraft.)
Concerning product packaging, the standard stipulates that all 20 characters of the unique product identification code on the outer packaging label of the product must be legible to the naked eye and accompanied by a barcode or QR code readable by a unique product identification code reader.
From the date of implementation of this standard, for civil unmanned aircraft that have been sold and are in use, a 36-month transition period is provided to meet the requirements of this document.
The introduction of this standard gives every civil unmanned aircraft operating within China’s territory its own electronic “ID card”. This enables unified management and full lifecycle traceability, improves the efficiency of safety supervision, standardizes market order, safeguards air traffic and public safety, and holds great significance for promoting the healthy, orderly and high-quality development of the civil unmanned aircraft industry.
If you need more information about this mandatory standard, please feel free to contact us at any time via email (assistant@sesec.eu).
