24 foreigners qualify as drone operators in Sanya

A graduation and certification ceremony for the International Talent Multi‑Rotor Plant Protection Drone Skills Training program recently took place at the Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City (YZBSTC) in Sanya, China's southernmost Hainan province.

Twenty-four foreign postdoctoral researchers and international students from local YZBSTC research institutes received specialized skill certificates — marking them as the first officially certified foreign professionals in Hainan province for operating multi-rotor plant protection drones.

The training, spearheaded by the International Talent Workstation of YZBSTC Management Bureau, is a key step in enhancing services for high-level foreign talent and building a professional skills framework for international researchers.

Capitalizing on YZBSTC's strengths in Nanfan seed breeding and smart agriculture, the program specifically targeted foreign agricultural PhD holders and postdocs in the park.

It offered bilingual instruction in Chinese and English, addressing practical skills gaps in smart agricultural machinery for international researchers and promoting the integration of drone technology with modern agricultural research.

Over five days, the program employed a "30 percent theory + 70 percent practice" model, advancing through a structured, step-by-step approach.

The instructor team included university professors in automation, certified veteran drone pilots and professional bilingual translators.

They covered topics such as low-altitude flight regulations, drone mechanics and meteorological flight knowledge — alongside practical courses like fixed-point hovering, smart route planning, terrain-tracking flights and obstacle avoidance.

Participants engaged in real-world exercises at the Nanfan Agricultural Base, evolving from beginners to independently conducting field operations.