From aerial sightseeing to "sky weddings", China is exploring new and innovative ways to develop its bourgeoning low-altitude economy which features manned or unmanned aviation services at low elevations.
Shanghai launched its first helicopter tour service over the Huangpu River on Tuesday, the first day of the seven-day National Day holiday.
Starting from Xuhui District in downtown Shanghai, to Lujiazui, one of the city’s financial hubs, the round-trip journey is about 24 kilometers, with a flight time of around ten minutes.
"The reservation volume is quite good. Many people book the aerial tour online, and others buy tickets at the airport after seeing our helicopters or hearing their roaring sound from the sky. We receive dozens of customer groups each day," said Cao Xintian, operator of the helicopter tours over the Huangpu River.
During the trip, tourists can not only admire the beautiful scenery of the Huangpu River from the sky, but see many iconic buildings and scenic areas, including the Shanghai Expo Cultural Park, the Bund, and the Oriental Pearl Tower.
"My son has a strong interest in modern transport, including helicopters and high-speed trains. This program allows him to see the changes of Shanghai from a very unique perspective and appreciate the beautiful scenery along the most classic tourist route in Shanghai. I think this helps both his growth and academic study," said a tourist named Zhang Nan.
A group wedding party in Zhongyang County in north China's Shanxi Province for 30 new couples also featured a helicopter tour for the newlyweds.
Flying over the Lvliang Mountains with a bird's-eye view of the county's magnificent landscape will ensure a memorable wedding day for these couples.
The "sky wedding" was sponsored by the Beijing-based Beihang University, a multi-disciplinary and research-oriented university focusing on aeronautical and astronautical engineering, which is exploring ways to develop the low-altitude economy in the country.
The low-altitude economy is an emerging sector in China whose scale is expected to reach 2 trillion yuan (about 285 billion U.S. dollars) by 2030.
Aerial sightseeing, "sky wedding" show China's low-altitude economy taking off
