Chinese, Italian colleges join hands on drone vocational training

TIANJIN, March 26 (Xinhua) -- In a classroom at Tianjin Modern Vocational Technology College, Li Keyan, a teacher from the School of Intelligent Engineering, held a drone in her hand while demonstrating operations to some Italian students.

"I'm demonstrating a multi-rotor drone to the students, showing the basic principles of its imaging system and how to use the drone for visual recording," Li said.

Recently, 16 teachers and students from Italy's Jobs Academy Foundation have come to north China's Tianjin Municipality for a 15-day training program on drone application. Through lectures, hands-on practice, virtual simulation and company visits, participants are systematically learning the principles and operational standards of drone technology.

Drones are neatly lined up on each desk, ready for hands-on practice, while lively discussions fill the classroom. On a nearby virtual display, real-time flight footage appears as students take turns operating the system, completing tasks such as takeoff, hovering and landing in a simulated environment.

"In Italy, we don't have such a systematic curriculum. I hope this program will help us better understand how drone technology can be applied," said Riccardo Silva, a computer science teacher from Jobs Academy Foundation. "The college is highly advanced, with many interactive facilities. The whole experience has been very new and rewarding."

The curriculum, aligned with drone standards of both China and the European Union and jointly developed with leading industry enterprises, is designed to meet international needs. It combines theoretical instruction with practical training and scenario-based learning, covering drone principles, safety compliance, precision control and aerial photography.

"I've learned a lot in Tianjin, and I hope to apply these skills to video production when I return to Italy," said Lorenzo, a student from Jobs Academy Foundation.

"We have designed targeted teaching content based on the students' professional backgrounds and industry needs," said Zhang Ying, dean of the vocational college's School of International Education.

"Our goal is to help them master practical skills while also understanding the technical logic behind them," Zhang said, adding that the program will develop online teaching resources and explore long-term cooperation mechanisms to advance talent training and standards alignment in the drone industry.

In addition to professional courses, the program incorporates basic Chinese language learning and cultural exchange activities. Participants have visited sites such as the Tianjin Museum, Tianjin Ancient Culture Street and the Haihe River, where they combine field trips with drone filming practice to experience the city's landscape and Chinese culture.

"The friendship between China and Italy has a long history. This cooperation is an important step in deepening exchanges in vocational education and the low-altitude economy," said Kang Ning, the vocational college's Party secretary.

"China is at the forefront of drone applications and low-altitude economic development, while Italy has strong foundations in vocational education. There is great potential for cooperation," said Maria Grazia Buratti, head of international cooperation of Jobs Academy Foundation.

The low-altitude economy is rising rapidly as a strategic emerging industry in China. Data shows that China now has over 36,000 active drone-related enterprises. The Civil Aviation Administration of China projects that the country's low-altitude economy could reach 3.5 trillion yuan (about 506 billion U.S. dollars) by 2035.