With the soaring application of aerial drones across various sectors in China, demand for licensed pilots is on the rise.

Nantong Vocational University, a pioneer in drone education in Jiangsu province, has seen interest in drone operations surge since 2016. It has trained more than 400 drone pilots, who were subsequently licensed by the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

Drone pilot certification opens career opportunities. Song Ningning, 27, obtained a license recently and secured a full-time position as a surveyor at a high-tech company, earning a salary of 8,000 yuan ($1,100) per month.

"My friends are striving to get the license," he said. "Flying drones is fascinating, and the skill brings a chance for good jobs."

Regulations on the operation of unmanned aircraft, issued by the State Council and the Central Military Commission, took effect on Jan 1. They require operators to be licensed for civilian drones of medium and large size.

Wang Daoyu, a drone instructor at Nantong Vocational University, said professional training courses focus on both theoretical knowledge and hands-on flight training, equipping trainees with skills to obtain a license and excel in the industry.

In addition, the school has offered drone pilot training programs for more than 200 ex-military personnel and firefighters over the past two years.

Drones have made a big impact in the film industry. But new applications have blossomed. Drones are used in fields such as agriculture, environmental monitoring, geospatial mapping, firefighting and power equipment maintenance. The diversification of applications has led to an increase in demand for skilled drone pilots.

According to the CAAC, there are 1.88 million registered drones in China, but only 225,000 operators have obtained licenses. The total number of consumer and industrial drones is expected to reach 26 million by 2035, indicating a promising future for licensed drone pilots.

Guo Yanqi contributed to this story.