"It came from Xia Jianjie, a member of the Wuxi Aerial Photography Association," says He Qiuhu, chairman of WAPA.

The association was established in late 2018 to provide guidance and a communication platform for its members. It also helps streamline the actions of pilots to meet national and local requirements for drone operation.

Membership has grown from fewer than 100 to some 380 people, with another 200 up for accreditation.

"They come from all walks of life, from government officials and common workers, to college professors and students, with an age range crossing six decades," He says.

One such member is Wang Mingdong, 62, a retired worker from a local radio factory. Wang dabbled in aerial photography in 2017 as a means to enrich his retirement and qualified for association membership two years later.

Wang says his videos have recorded the great changes in Wuxi, especially in its rural areas, which have taken place in recent years under the leadership of the Communist Party of China.

One of his works, Bird's Eye View of Yangjian, which depicts the city's Yangjian town, won first prize in a local video contest themed on rural landscapes.

With the ubiquity of drones, the kind of photography that would once have been extremely difficult to obtain is open to all, including people like Wang.

"You're never too old to learn," he says.

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