FNA - Iran has been among the first countries that has come to make use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for non-military purposes since years ago when these types of aircraft were developed, a senior academic official said.

"Iran is among the first 10 states in using non-military drones," Secretary of Iran's non-military drones task force Hamed Saeedi said in Alborz province on Sunday.

He added that Iran is now using non-military drones in agricultural fields in 20 provinces, saying that some 18,000 people are using these aircraft in the country.

Saeedi also underlined that 225 institutions and active units are operating drones for agricultural applications.

Iran has recently made giant advancements in aerospace industries, specially in designing and manufacturing pilotless drones, including the military models.

Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh underlined in November Iran's major advances in designing and manufacturing different state-of-the-art drones.

"We are even ahead of the top world powers in the drones sector and we are way ahead of them," General Hajizadeh said, addressing a ceremony in the Northern city of Qazvin.

He described Iran as the top regional power in the sector, saying that the country had been able to develop different types of home-made missiles as well.

"The young Iranian people have managed to put the country at the peak of power with their excellent ideas in the radar, missile and drone sectors," General Hajizadeh said.