Political adviser urges better management of drones

A political adviser called for stricter management of drones to ensure public safety.

About 1,100 drones fly over Shanghai on an average day, the proposal filed by adviser Chen Zhen said. However, many operations are not licensed due to loopholes in the management system, and some even disrupt civil aviation, the proposal said.

Drones can pose major threats to public safety, and need more strict controls, as the current system cannot keep pace with the expanding industry and increasing operations, Chen said.

There are no local or national regulations specifically targeting drones and no rules on sales, manufacture, licensing or airworthiness, the proposal said.

Chen called for a management system based on different grades of risk and standards on operator licenses, involving real-name registration, sales registration, and qualifications.