FTL Ranges

Though all FTL drives can technically go an infinite distance, the power and fuel needed may deplete the ship and leave the ship stranded in the middle of deep space with nearly no chance of recovery or return. All drives are thus governed by computers limiting their use to predetermined FTL beacons within safe distances that the ship is rated to be capable of attaining, with enough fuel for a return trip. FTL accidents do occur, and the Imperial Customs Authority usually tries their best to save the stranded ship.

However, military and government ships are able to bypass restrictions to jump to spacial coordinates, though this is considered dangerous and the use of FTL beacons is recommended. Some criminal groups like pirates or smugglers also remove their FTL restrictions illegally.

The FTL beacon web is maintained by the Imperial Customs Authority (Teikoku Zeikan, 帝国税関), which also patrols the FTL network with their frigates to ensure that smuggling does not occur. The ICA also enforces trade in Yamatai and Aoyama, though other nations have their own customs bodies.

Interplanetary
Allows for FTL between the beacons inside of a single system. In terms of sheer numbers this is the most prevalent, as the vast majority of civilian craft are equipped with these drives.

Interstellar
Interstellar ranges allow ships to carry out FTL jumps between single star systems. The vast majority of civilian light cargo freighters, civilian-owned vessels and some low-level military craft are equipped with interstellar drives. Journeys between inhabited systems can take weeks to complete as the ships "leapfrog" through FTL highways marked by FTL beacons in uninhabited systems, refuelling each time. Some of the beacons have rest stops or customs stations attached or close by, but they usually only have an automated refuelling point and some defensive drones.

Inter-system
Inter-system means they can FTL between two star systems that are otherwise disconnected. However, longer-range jumps between farther systems may take some minimal leapfrogging through waystations.

Inter-sector
They can FTL through the Empire with impunity. Only the largest ships have these, such as bulk freighters, cruise liners, military capital ships and such. However, theoretically longer-distance FTL may require refuelling stops, though the Empire is not that large yet.