Number of UAV pilots takes off

Licensing rules have resulted in fewer commercial flight disruptions

The number of civilian pilots certified to operate unmanned aerial vehicles - known as UAVs or drones - and training centers has soared over the past four years, according to an industry report released on Wednesday.

As of the end of 2017, China had 199 qualified training centers for civilian drone pilots and issued 24,407 certificates, according to a report issued by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of China, a nonprofit organization.