Chinese drone users are set to face new regulations amid increasing public safety concerns about drones.
A real-name registration platform for civilian drones will begin a trial run on May 18, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) announced on Tuesday. From June 1, all users of civilian drones weighing more than 250 grams will have to register under their real name in China.
Currently, there is no registration system in China for drone users.
The CAAC added that a real-name registration data-sharing system as well as data query platform will also be set up later, to operate in real-time with the cloud platform of civilian drones.
CAAC also justified an existing ban on drone-based delivery services in the country, even though it has been tested for a long time in some Western countries. Detection and collision-avoidance systems of civilian drones were not sensitive enough to avoid buildings, the CAAC said, adding that the deliveries could "compromise the safety of people on the ground".
China's drone market has witnessed a boom in recent years. According to market research firm IDC, over 80,000 drones were sold in China in the first quarter of 2016.
The industry's fast development however has also brought problems due to a lack of rules and regulation. In the past two months, unauthorized drone flights have caused about a dozen disruptions at airports in China, even forcing planes to be diverted to other airports and flights to be cancelled.
