China has approved a new draft regulation on the management of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flights.
Premier Li Keqiang chaired the executive meeting of the State Council on April 7, where China’s cabinet passed the “Interim Measures for the Administration of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Flights.”
The meeting came as the speed of innovation in drones and other UAVs has left regulators struggling to keep pace in recent years.
The new regulation emphasizes the importance of regulating UAV flights and related activities to promote sustained and healthy development of the industry, while ensuring aviation, public and national security.
The draft prioritizes safety and focuses on the entire chain of production, sales, assembly, modification, registration, identification, personnel qualifications, and operation monitoring.
It aims to accelerate the improvement of the regulatory protocol, strengthen regulatory service platforms, and enhance regulatory capabilities to ensure the safety and orderliness of UAV activities.
Furthermore, the regulation aims to promote innovation-driven development by supporting the R&D of key core technologies, constructing an independent, controllable and reliable industrial and supply chain, and promoting technology integration and innovation.
This is expected to enrich the application scenarios and improve the industrial ecosystem, leading to the high-quality development of relevant industries, according to the draft.
