News | Low-altitude economy: The Blue Ocean of the future of flight

Low-altitude economy is a concept that is based on the use of low-altitude space, led by the general aviation industry, and encompasses various fields such as low-altitude flight, aviation tourism, regional passenger transport, general aviation services, research, and education. In the low-altitude space, defined as below 1000 meters (sometimes extending to 3000 meters) from the ground, there exists significant development potential.

The low-altitude economy comprises four main industries: low-altitude manufacturing, low-altitude flight, low-altitude support, and comprehensive services. Low-altitude manufacturing involves the development and production of various manned and unmanned aerial vehicles. Low-altitude flight covers various low-altitude activities, including general aviation and law enforcement aviation. Low-altitude support refers to industries providing safety support for low-altitude flight, while comprehensive services encompass ground service industries supporting the development of the low-altitude economy.

The entire low-altitude economy industry chain can be divided into upstream, midstream, and downstream. Upstream includes raw material and core component suppliers, midstream comprises manufacturing entities such as drone and aircraft manufacturers, and downstream involves approved application areas that integrate various industries with the low-altitude economy.

The integration of low-altitude economy and logistics applications is a widely applied scenario in the business sector. With the development of the low-altitude economy, the potential of unmanned aerial vehicles in urban logistics is gradually becoming evident. Compared to traditional logistics methods, drones offer advantages such as convenience, efficiency, cost savings, and risk reduction, attracting the attention of courier, e-commerce, and other enterprises.

Prominent companies like Meituan, SF Express, JD.com, among others, are actively developing drone logistics services. Traditional logistics companies and tech firms are also focusing on drone operations. Since 2015, many courier, e-commerce, and food delivery platforms have ventured into drone logistics and initiated relevant trials and collaborations. JD.com obtained a national-level drone logistics pilot, SF Express received the first domestic drone operation certificate, and Ele.me opened China's first drone delivery route for takeout.

In the realm of low-altitude navigation, major aircraft types include helicopters and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicles. With the rise of the general aviation industry, helicopters have become a popular choice for public transportation. Simultaneously, the development of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) is injecting new momentum into the eVTOL industry, propelling its rapid growth. Compared to traditional helicopters, eVTOL vehicles have significant advantages in safety, automation, cost-effectiveness, and ecological friendliness. These eVTOL models can operate efficiently and flexibly in low-altitude conditions, effectively relieving ground traffic pressure.

The eVTOL aircraft "Shengshi Long," developed by Shanghai Fengfei Aviation Technology Co., Ltd., recently successfully conducted a historic demonstration flight. The flight took off from the Shekou Cruise Terminal in Shenzhen, Guangdong, and after approximately 20 minutes of flight, successfully landed at the Jiuzhou Port Terminal in Zhuhai. This marks the opening of the world's first cross-sea and cross-city eVTOL aircraft route. Treating this aircraft as an "air taxi," its successful flight means that the ground journey from Shenzhen to Zhuhai, which would typically take 2.5 to 3 hours, can now be reduced to just 20 minutes.

The eVTOL aircraft "Shengshi Long," with a takeoff weight of 2000 kilograms, can carry 5 people, achieve a cruising speed of 200 kilometers per hour, and all its core modules are domestically produced. This is the first time globally that an eVTOL aircraft has been used for a cross-sea and cross-city flight. The aircraft is expected to start carrying passengers in 2026 after obtaining airworthiness certification. The Shenzhen to Zhuhai route will be operated by Shenzhen East General Aviation Co., Ltd., which has signed a purchase order for 100 Fengfei "Shengshi Long" aircraft and plans to promote the opening of more routes and commercial operations.

Director Fan Hengshan of the Expert Guidance Committee discussed six future trends of China's low-altitude economy:

1. Drones will become the backbone of the low-altitude economy. Despite starting later, the rapid development of drones is expected to drive the future development of the low-altitude economy and may become the mainstream industry.

2. General aviation will remain the protagonist of the low-altitude economy. In the low-altitude economy, general aviation occupies the majority of the market share and is expected to continue growing in the future.

3. The low-altitude economy will play a greater role in public services. In the future, scenarios utilizing low-altitude flight for public management and services, such as emergency rescue, medical assistance, and law enforcement, will increase.

4. Low-altitude consumption will become more widespread. As technology advances and costs decrease, the low-altitude economy will further integrate into people's production and daily lives, driving the expansion of the low-altitude consumption market.

5. Technology will be the driving force for the development of the low-altitude economy. Technological innovation is the foundational support for the development of the low-altitude economy industry, and continuous technological breakthroughs will promote high-quality development.

6. The low-altitude economy will focus more on green development. As one of the directions for national economic development, the low-altitude economy industry will accelerate its transition to green, and new types of green low-altitude economy industries will rise rapidly.