A pilot traffic management program for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) was launched Monday in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, a cluster for China's commercial drone industry.
This marked that China has its first trial to regulate the UAVs in a certain area and offers a platform for UAVs makers to protect their rights.
Compared to the air traffic control in the traditional aviation industry, UAV traffic management program requires a diverse system of stakeholders that include civil aviation administration, air force and some regulating authorities working together to regulate the market.
The program contains a new online platform for UAV management, offering services such as quick approval of flight applications, real-time flight paths, quick verification of identities and information broadcasting.
Unmanned helicopter AV500 at this year's China Air Show in Zhuhai. /VCG Photo
China has advanced rapidly in the development of UAVs. The UAV manufacturing industry has been expanding rapidly thanks to extensive use of drones in fields such as surveying and mapping as well as rising individual consumption.
"The numbers of drone programs unveiled in China in recent years has been 'dizzying'," said Sam Roggeveen, director of the international security program at Australia's Lowy Institute.
According to an iResearch report last year, the overall market of UAVs in China is expected to reach 75 billion yuan (around 11 billion US dollars) by 2025.
(With inputs from Xinhua News Agency)