Booming low-altitude economy has more application scenarios

China's low-altitude economy is entering a phase of rapid growth, offering people more excitement in the skies and bringing convenience through innovative aerial vehicle applications.

Various aerial vehicles are increasingly employed in China in more diversified scenarios.

In east China's Jiangsu Province, a domestically produced two-ton unmanned electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft successfully completed a flight across a stretch of the Yangtze River in early August, with its highest speed at 200 kilometers per hour.

The cutting-edge "air taxi" service of eVTOL aircraft, developed by a Shanghai-based start-up named AutoFlight, is expected to gain traction as it can provide a viable and affordable transportation option for tourists and commuters.

In Wuxi City of the province, aerial routes offer a unique perspective of the scenic ancient canal, demonstrating the potential of low-altitude flights for tourism.

In Chengdu City of southwest China's Sichuan Province, a cross-border e-commerce imported goods package was delivered via drone from the comprehensive bonded zone to a customer in just two minutes.

The State Council has just issued a document on ideas to promote the high-quality development of service consumption, proposing to encourage the development of new business models such as low-altitude flight. This is undoubtedly a clear signal that will further enrich the "low-altitude plus" application scenarios.

In the first half of this year, China registered over 600,000 new drones, resulting in a 48-percent increase in the number of drones from the end of last year.

Currently, over 14,000 drone companies hold valid civil unmanned aircraft operation certificates, and over 225,000 people possess unmanned drone operator licenses.

Last year, the scale of China's low-altitude economy surpassed 500 billion yuan (around 70 billion U.S. dollars), with the first half of this year generating 300 billion yuan (around 42 billion U.S. dollars) in new output value. Its scale is expected to reach 2 trillion yuan (around 279 billion U.S. dollars) by 2030.

Booming low-altitude economy has more application scenarios

Booming low-altitude economy has more application scenarios

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠As of 20:38 on Saturday, China's total box office revenue for the ongoing Qingming Festival holiday had surpassed 300 million yuan (about 41.28 million U.S. dollars), according to data from online platforms.

The three-day Qingming Festival, which started on Friday this year, is a traditional Chinese holiday that falls on the 15th day after the Spring Equinox. While it is a time to enjoy the greenery of springtime and to visit the graves of ancestors, the holiday has also become a busy period for cultural and tourism activities in China, including visits to the cinema. 

The U.S. produced film "A Minecraft Movie", Chinese animated blockbuster "Ne Zha 2" and crime thriller "We Girls" are currently ranked as the top three.   Data showed that "A Minecraft Movie", adapted from the beloved sandbox game, has currently topped the chart and been a hit with family audiences. Notably, over 15 percent of its viewers have attended screenings in groups.   Meanwhile, "We Girls", a drama centering on marginalized communities has made a significant impact since its premiere on Friday, breaking the single-day box office record for its genre during the Qingming Festival period over the past five years.   Despite the wave of new releases, "Ne Zha 2", a holdover, has once again witnessed a surge in viewership and secure the third spot in the rankings during the Qingming Festival holiday box-office period, buoyed by enduring fan loyalty.

China's box office hits 300 million yuan during Qingming holiday