In Chongqing, drones are now doing heavy lifting in industries such as electricity. (Photo/Xinhua)
More than 30 districts and counties in the municipality now have drone training institutions or schools. Some hold the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) certification. A Unmanned Aerial Systems Training Center (UTC) course typically costs around 2,000 yuan (about 294 U.S. dollars). A full CAAC drone operator license course usually runs between 8,000 and 15,000 yuan.
Drone lifting courses booked through June
Since launching its training programme in October 2023, Chongjiang UAV Technology (Chongqing) Co., Ltd. has trained over 5,000 pilots. Surging enrolments even forced the company to shorten its May Day holiday this year; instructor Leng Jun took only two days off before returning to work.
“Watch the wind direction, correct your stick input, slow it down,” he calls over the radio on the training ground. Each day, from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., he guides more than a dozen students through hovering, route flying, and other drills.
Chongqing Jinhang Technology Co., Ltd. in Jiangjin has trained more than 200 people so far this year, up about 50 percent year on year. The students are mainly university students, veterans, job seekers, and farmers. University students account for over 70 percent.
Li Yukun, a junior at a Chongqing university, said many of his classmates have signed up for UTC civilian drone operator training. They hope that skills in aerial photography and inspection will give them an edge in the job market.
The shift in what people train for mirrors a change in how drones are being used. A few years ago, most learners focused on agricultural spraying, Leng Jun said. Now more are choosing cargo lifting. As drone sling loads become more common for mountain transport, demand for lifting courses has jumped, and slots are already booked through June.
In Liangping, Gou Chunpeng is learning to fly. He used to work on construction sites and wants a higher income in the drone industry. “One aerial photography or surveying job can earn you a thousand or two thousand yuan,” he said.
Industry demands higher skills beyond a licence
But the training boom has also created problems.
Liu Changqing, vice general manager of Chongjiang UAV Technology, says the employment rate for drone pilots in Chongqing has slid from around 80 percent to under 40 percent since 2024. The cause is not a drop in jobs, but companies demanding higher skills while the supply of license holders with basic qualifications surges.
Chen Xingyu earned his CAAC beyond-visual-line-of-sight licence this year. Within a month, he sent out more than 20 résumés. He received only three interview invitations, and none led to a job.
“I thought getting the licence would mean I could start flying right away, but reality is not like that,” he said.
“Many students can only do basic takeoff and landing. They can’t fly in complex environments or troubleshoot equipment failures, so companies don’t dare put them to work right away,” said Zhang Guo, who runs an aerial photography company. Some trainees focus narrowly on exam content and lack real-world operating experience.
Industry insiders note that a price war has broken out. Some providers have pushed UTC course fees from 2,000 yuan down to just over 1,000 yuan, and “999 yuan crash courses” have appeared. Under this pressure, some schools cut hands-on practice time and teach only what is needed to pass the test.
Liu Changqing adds that the agricultural spraying market is saturated. On the other hand, new roles in photovoltaic inspection, emergency rescue, 3D modelling, and low-altitude logistics place much higher demands on pilots, requiring combined knowledge of electricity, surveying, agriculture, and other fields.
At present, junior drone pilots in Chongqing typically earn 4,000 to 6,000 yuan a month. Experienced pilots who can independently handle complex tasks such as sling loads and inspections can earn over 10,000 yuan, but they make up less than 20 percent of the workforce. On recruitment platforms, most jobs advertised as “monthly salary over 10,000 yuan” explicitly require industry experience or specialist knowledge.
In response, many schools have added specialised modules in lifting and 3D mapping on top of basic flight training. The goal is shifting from getting a licence to getting a job.
In January, the Chongqing UAV Industry Association and the Chongqing Vocational Skills Appraisal and Guidance Center held a symposium on drone talent supply and demand. Several companies stressed that a basic CAAC licence alone is no longer enough for complex operations. Roles in power-line inspection, low-altitude logistics, and emergency rescue, they noted, require significantly stronger professional skills and emergency-response capability.