CIVILIAN unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), more commonly known as drones, have become increasingly popular in China thanks to both their practical uses in completing difficult tasks and for fun. While the UAV industry is thriving on a vastly increasing user base, public concerns over UAVs are also on the rise since the industry is developing without proper government oversight.

    An online post by a Shenzhen netizen who addressed his safety concerns with regards to UAVs led to heated discussions online between people who are in support of stronger government control on such airborne machines and people who believe that less government involvement in people’s daily lives is better.

    Lack of flying venues

    As a host city for various model airplane contests, Shenzhen is home to a huge number of UAV enthusiasts. There have been as many as 30,000 participants at UAV related contests every year in the city, according to Yun Zhongsheng, secretary general of the Shenzhen Marine, Airplane and Car Model Sports Association.

    A UAV fan identified as Brother Guo is a hardcore UAV flier. Guo was able to turn his interest into a successful business by manipulating his UAV to shoot aerial videos for films, TV dramas and commercials.

    Although the city’s civilian UAV and model airplane contests are increasing in popularity, a lack of flying venues is a sore point for local fliers. “UAVs are not toys,” said an enthusiast surnamed Zhao. “It is never a good idea to fly them where crowds gather out of safety concerns.”

    A patch of land in Longhua New Area is currently a hotspot for local UAV fliers, most of whom have to drive a long distance to get there. But sooner or later it will be developed and they will have to seek another venue. “We have to be ready to leave any moment,” lamented one flier.

    Yun said that lacking venues is a major hurdle for developing the model airplane industry in Shenzhen. “We have had to constantly change the venue for the National Open Championship for Model Airplanes. At first, we hosted the games at Shenzhen Bay, but later, the Shenzhen Bay Sports Museum was built there, so we had to move to a vacant space next to it. Then, we had to move to Central Park,” Yun said.

    Manufacturers of UAVs are also facing similar problems. “It can be very dangerous to fly in a place other than a designated venue. We can find a vacant area for small test flights, but it’s difficult for large flights,” said Wu Hao, a spokesperson for Shenzhen Art-Tech R/C Hobby Co., a manufacturer of model airplanes and UAVs.

    Accessibility

    UAVs can be easily purchased at shops or through popular websites. Prices range from a few dozen yuan to a hundred thousand yuan.

    Sales records for an official online store of one renowned domestic aerial photography equipment producer indicated that a quadcopter worth about 5,000 yuan (US$787) is a best-selling item. In the first two weeks of November of this year, more than 1,000 quadcopters were sold.

    Another seller of model airplanes and UAVs said that a model with a camera, worth about 14,000 yuan, was a popular item among buyers who intend to use the machine to shoot wedding ceremonies, advertisements and films.

    Buying a UAV doesn’t require any permission, and operating one is simple, the seller said. Many models with detailed user manuals are tailored for inexperienced users.

    The seller claimed that no cities in China, except for Beijing, have restrictions on flying UAVs, but still advised buyers to avoid areas near airports, civil aviation flight routes and military bases. The seller also said that buyers should choose UAVs with more axles for better safety handling, but they are only available on high-end models.

    Blurry definition

    While the UAV industry is developing at a fast speed, industry regulation is lagging far behind.

    Meng Bin, a hardcore model airplane flier who used UAVs in his research in his undergraduate program, said that most so-called civilian UAVs sold on the market were refitted from model airplanes, so there is no clear boundary between toy model airplanes and more sophisticated models such as UAVs. Meng said that the difference between a model airplane and a UAV is that a model airplane flies within the vision scope of the naked eye while a UAV can be controlled by a video system to fly beyond the scope of the human eye. But some people agree that a UAV can be considered a type of high-quality model airplane that is equipped with surveillance equipment.

    Ke Yubao, executive secretary general of the China Aircraft Owners and Pilot Association, said that strict approval procedures are required for flying UAVs and that users of UAVs should report to local government administration offices for permission to fly.

    However, there is no law or regulation to define the scope of flight areas and other requirements for model airplanes. Many people just turn a blind eye to flying restrictions. Some fliers admitted that most UAVs fly without a license even though China started issuing licenses for UAVs in August.

    Many local UAV fliers assume that flying model airplanes and UAVs requires no government approval since they fly at a low altitude, but most people have no idea what “low altitude” actually means. Not many civilians know how high is too high.

    Call for supervision

    Last November, the Civil Aviation Administration of China issued a temporary regulation on pilots of civilian UAVs, taking the first step toward regulating UAVs. In August of this year, the country implemented a policy to issue licenses to fliers of UAVs and organizations who train people to use UAVs.

    As a UAV expert, Wu Hao said that enterprises specializing in the trade hope the government would strengthen administration in the field because it would benefit all sides. The current level of supervision is considered insufficient. Insiders said that government policies could only be implemented by appointing special government bodies to oversee the industry rather than merely requiring licenses for flying UAVs.

    (Anna Zhao)