28-30 May 2019

From 28 to 30 May, the EU-China Aviation Partnership Project (APP) held a successful workshop on drones. This activity was the third in a series facilitating the well developing cooperation between the EU and China in this area, following the 2017 authorities experience exchange in Beijing and the 2018 workshop in Shenzhen. 

Over the course of two and a half days, Chinese and European experts presented the latest developments in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). CAAC and EASA gave an update of their respective regulatory frameworks for UAS operations. Subsequently, participants were given an overview of the latest research, demonstrators, and the regulatory approach to Europe’s U-space, as well as of UA Cloud data exchange, the civil UAV operation management system, and ATM of civil UAS in China. These presentations were followed by contributions from industry representatives, sharing the progress they are making in U-space services and product developments. The final sessions were devoted to urban air mobility, covering regulation, operation efficiency and challenges, and certification aspects.

Building on the previous activities organised by the EU-China APP on this topic, this workshop gave participants the opportunity to exchange more detailed information and best practices on the implementation of drone regulation, and correspondingly to better understand European U-space and the Chinese equivalent UAS Operation Management System (UOM). With a view to the prospects discussed on the future drone market, including smart cities and urban air mobility, participants concluded that cooperation between CAAC and EASA in this area continues to be very beneficial to both sides.

One hundred and thirty four participants attended the workshop, representing among others the National Air Traffic Committee, the National Airspace Management Centre, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Justice, the CAAC Flight Standards Department and CAAC Aircraft Airworthiness Certification Department, the CAAC IT Centre, China Academy for Civil Aviation Science and Technology, the Second Research Institute of CAAC, Chinese Academy of Sciences, XAG, China Mobile, Qian Xun SI, ANTWORK, Ehang, EASA, SESAR Joint Undertaking, EUROCONTROL, ANSP Finland, Airbus, Leonardo, Thales, Volocopter and various other European and Chinese stakeholders.