Taiwan increases drone pilot certifications
Taiwan has now certified 28,871 drone pilots as of October, reflecting growing demand across commercial and military sectors, according to the Airline Career Development Association. The Civil Aviation Administration reports about 8,000 people take drone licensing exams annually — supported by 24 testing sites nationwide and a lowered minimum training age from 16 to 14. Drones are increasingly used in infrastructure inspections, videography, agriculture, and mapping; Taiwan has registered 528 drone models totaling over 38,000 drones, with more than 23,000 flight operation requests submitted. Training combines theoretical instruction (covering flight principles, regulations, meteorology, airspace management) and practical flight exercises, and licenses are categorized as “basic” or “professional,” with different privileges depending on drone weight and type. As drone use proliferates — especially for aerial photography, inspections, agriculture, and anticipated expansion into logistics, disaster response, and defence applications — demand for certified operators is expected to continue rising.