SHENZHEN - China exported 160,000 units of civilian drones worth 750 million yuan ($120 million) from January to May, 69 and 55 times of the same period in 2014 respectively.

According to customs in the southern city of Shenzhen, where 99 percent of China's civilian drones are exported from, a "green channel" has been set up to facilitate fast clearance of the product.

The Shenzhen-based technology firm DJI, a leading manufacturer of commercial and recreational drones for aerial photography and videography, accounts for almost 70 percent of the market share worldwide, with Europe and North America its biggest customers.