Booming low-altitude economy expands further

China has unlocked many new application scenarios for its burgeoning low-altitude economy sector, which has entered the rapid growth stage with a scale expected to reach 2 trillion yuan (about 279 billion U.S. dollars) by 2030.

The low-altitude economy is an economic concept that relies on low-altitude airspace, in which unmanned aircraft like drones, helicopters and flying cars play a dominant role. It involves economic sectors such as low-altitude flight, air tourism, passenger transportation, general aviation services, scientific research and education, among others.

In the first half of this year, China recorded over 600,000 newly registered drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with the total number soaring 48 percent over the end of last year.

Now more than 14,000 drone companies hold a valid civil UAV operation certificate, and over 225,000 people possess the drone pilot license. Official data show that last year, the market size of China's low-altitude economy exceeded 500 billion yuan (about 69.85 billion U.S. dollars), with another 300 billion yuan (about 41.91 billion U.S. dollars) in new output value registered in the first six months of this year.

In less than a year after the Central Economic Work Conference held in December 2023 officially identified the low-altitude economy as a strategic emerging industry, the sector has further expanded in application scope and made many new technological breakthroughs.

Shenzhen City, an economic powerhouse in south China's Guangdong Province, has launched the country's first "low-altitude plus railway" intermodal transport service to facilitate people's traveling. Passengers can hail a helicopter through a few quick clicks on their cell phones when stepping out of a train station, which will take them less than one hour to almost any place they want to go in the sprawling Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

The service improves the travel efficiency by more than six times that of a conventional transportation mode.

"I think it's a very cool thing. I'd try many more flying routes in the future where conditions permit," said a passenger surnamed Dong.

"More and more people now hail 'aerial taxis' through the mobile app we have developed. In the future, we will iterate the current diesel-powered helicopter into an electric aircraft to control the airfare at about a few hundred yuan," said Cai Wuqun, general manager of the strategy department at the Shenzhen-based HELI-EASTERN, a low-altitude general aviation carrier and helicopter service provider.

With the booming low-altitude economy, there have emerged many new business modes, such as intra-city air travel, inner-city commute, and aerial tour of scenic areas across a city. In the first half of this year, Shenzhen alone posted 12,000 manned helicopter flights for various purposes, an increase of 20 percent year on year.

Low-altitude aircraft are transforming sci-fi movie scenes into reality, bringing new revolution to people's daily life. Not long ago, four university admission notices were delivered by a drone to a residential community in Guangzhou, the provincial capital of Guangdong, setting a record in the country.

During the just-concluded Paris Olympics, China-made drones staged a splendid and dazzling aerial show over the iconic Eiffel Tower by forming various patterns in the night sky, immersing global tourists in the magic created by Chinese technologies. In April this year, a Chinese civil UAV transported goods to a location at 6,000 meters above sea level on Mt. Qomolangma, shortening the delivery time from eight hours to only 12 minutes.

"As a representative of new quality productive forces, low-altitude economy is no longer just a new way of transportation, but can widely empower the primary, secondary and tertiary industries. Its application scenarios become more diversified and the user experience is constantly bettered for people to enjoy a more pleasant flight," said Li Wenyu, director of the intellectual property and innovation development center at the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology.

Booming low-altitude economy expands further

Booming low-altitude economy expands further

Booming low-altitude economy expands further

Booming low-altitude economy expands further

Grassroots officials and students who teamed up with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the voluntary tree planting activity in Beijing on Thursday morning said afterwards they would commit more energy to protecting their country's natural heritage and greening efforts.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, was accompanied by other Party and state leaders as they joined residents and local officials on the bank of the Yongding River in Beijing’s Fengtai District to plant saplings.

Xi waved to the crowd as he arrived at the site before picking up a shovel to help plant saplings of several different types of tree.

Xi took time to ask students from local schools about their studies, life and participation in labor and sports.

"We came here today to participate in this tree planting activity. What surprised us was that President Xi also took part. He worked alongside us, digging and building up the soil around the saplings. He has always been concerned about our lives and studies, and he encouraged us to work and study hard," said Lyu Shuochen, a student from the Fifth Primary School in Fengtai District.

"President Xi is very knowledgeable and understanding. He also encouraged us plant more trees to improve the air quality and the environment," said Gu Weichen, another student from the school.

During the event, Xi also talked with local grassroots officials, discussing the importance of preserving the nation's natural heritage.

"Every year, [the general secretary] takes part in the tree planting activity in the capital. He shovels the soil and waters the trees, which are truly touching. As environmental builders, we are determined to work together to make areas along the Yongding River greener and make the water clearer, so that local people can safely enjoy the riverside and truly understand the significance of ecological preservation," said Ding Hongwei, deputy director of the Fengtai District Yongding River Management Office.

"For us, participating in the tree planting activity with the general secretary is a vivid practical lesson in grassroots governance. Today, the general secretary also stressed that [environmental efforts should focus on] improving quality, boosting industry and benefiting the people. For us as community workers, it means we must deeply engage in the grassroots affairs. We need to strive for growth and do practical things to provide support for the residents and the people around us," said Qian Cheng, Party secretary of Tianlun Jincheng community in Beijing's Fengtai District.

"In addition to building the capital into a garden city, we also integrate the concept of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature into our daily life and work. We hope to create a better environment for everyone," said Lin Qiaoling, a Party committee member in Caoqiao Village, Yuquanying Subdistrict in Fengtai District.

Encouraged by Xi, the environmental champions at the site pledged to actively engage in public welfare activities, joining forces to contribute to the building of a Beautiful China and making the country even greener.

"President Xi told us while we were watering the saplings that watering the trees is like nurturing us children. I will follow what President Xi said. I want to become a teacher to educate and nurture others, and sow the seeds for them to grow their talents," said Wang Nanbixuan, another student from the school.

"As a primary school student in the capital, I am committed to planting more trees, working harder, and adding more green spaces to make our capital even more beautiful," said Chang Yuyang, another student from the school.

"With the personal involvement and leadership of the general secretary, the greening efforts in the capital will reach a new level, and citizens will be able to more directly enjoy the results of ecological civilization development," said Ding.

"As the general secretary said, we will continue working, one generation after another, to improve the greening efforts for the people, and contribute our own strength to ecological preservation in the capital and the whole country," said Lin.

Planting trees with President Xi inspires new generation of environmental champions