CCTV9英语新闻：Drones to be a main theme of 2016 CEBIT（在线收听）

It’s day two at one of the world’s largest technology trade fairs in Germany. Drones are a big theme for CEBIT 2016. Not a new product – but industry bosses believe they're on the cusp of a major boom for the sector.

The Aibot X-6 may look like fun to play with – but it’s no toy.

Its designers claim their"tactical drone" is about to become a vital business accessory.

"If you can fly with a drone with ‘sensorics’ around it – any sensor – you can basically do a lot of things. For example, inspection of bridges, inspection of power lines, or an infra-red sensor to look at agricultural applications – and that is changing the whole way we can manage the business process: in a farm, in a mine, or let’s say maintenance programmes: so it’s really game-changing," said Frank Lenselink, Aibotix Drones.

The earlier history of the unmanned aircraft has its controversies. But nowadays, its usage goes far beyond combat.

That’s why organisers of one of the world’s largest technology fayres -- saw fit to make them a main theme for 2016.

"In the 2000s, drone technology was highly specialised – and primarily used for military purposes. But at this year’s CEBIT – even amateur teams are building them. It’s a clear indication of just how mainstream this technology has become," said Guy Henderson, CEBIT trade fair, Hannover.

But the biggest global players, too, are ramping up their research and development.



Airbus has developed a vertical take-off quadro copter.



Now – it’s launching what it calls “The Cargo Drone Challenge”: it wants help to commercialise the concept, before the skies become highways.

"The reason why we do it now is that we expect the verification rules will be issued issued around 2019. At that time, when the regulatory environment is available, you can expect to also see the first builds," said Alfered Lief, Airbus.

In other words – the industry may be just a few years away, from a watershed moment.