22 February 2026
Shanghai: the last new aerial footage of the city you will ever see
Authorities in Shanghai have introduced a 120m height
restriction for drones. That means that
no one will ever again be able to film the city from that height or above. Why? It is considered controlled airspace by
the authorities – the new restriction is to stop any possible interference with
any other aircraft such as helicopters but also because it is close to
commercial flight paths and they simply don’t want to take that risk. Although
this is understandable, it’s something of a shame (and apparently the police
have been cracking down on it massively).
If Shanghai looks spectacular (any time of day, but especially at night)
then it looks like something out of a science fiction movie once the sun has
set.
In something of a homage, lalin photography (a cooperative
of five photographers) shot this remarkable footage recently. Apart from a few frames which explain the
current situation, this is a flight without words through the city in the
nighttime. The work is stitched together
from drone footage from the last few years which has never been released
before. As such, this is probably the last new aerial footage of Shanghai you
will ever see. So, sit back and take in
the sites – Nanpu Bridge, The Bund, Huangpu river skyline, Pu Xi, Shiliupu Pier
and a host of other places in the city.
This is wonderful work.
