Low-altitude economy gains traction

Sichuan authorities rolled out a batch of low-altitude air routes, products, and application scenarios this week, a strong move to advance the low-altitude economy and establish itself as a regional hub for the emerging sector in western China.

At a launch ceremony held in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, Liu Chuanjian, chief flight instructor at Civil Aviation Flight University of China, announced eight low-altitude transport routes, comprising four passenger routes and four cargo routes.

These passenger routes either connect cities within Sichuan or link Sichuan cities with Liangping in neighboring Chongqing municipality, with one-way flight duration ranging from 30 to 80 minutes, he said.

Two of the cargo routes are operated by general aviation aircraft, linking Chengdu to Nanchong in Sichuan and Chongqing. A oneway flight takes 40 and 90 minutes respectively, Liu said.

The other two cargo routes, operated by unmanned aerial vehicles, connect cities within Sichuan, each taking 90 minutes, he added.

Ran Hang, Sichuan project manager of the Huaxia Feidi Technology Co Ltd, operator of three passenger routes, said the routes use a fixed-wing aircraft with a capacity of six passengers.

He said the low-altitude routes significantly reduce travel time while costing under 200 yuan ($27.8) for a single trip.

"Take the Dazhou-Beichuan route as an example, while a road trip typically takes over five hours, the air route cuts travel time by three-quarters," he said, adding that his company is planning for new routes connecting southern Sichuan with Chongqing, and northeastern Sichuan with destinations in other provinces.

A series of low-altitude products were showcased at the ceremony, including eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft), general aviation aircraft, multifunctional large UAVs, heavy-lift cargo UAVs, and low-altitude air traffic management devices.

The AE200, a six-seater eVTOL developed by Aerofugia, a subsidiary of Chinese automaker Geely Technology Group, is scheduled to undergo manned flight tests this year, said Guo Liang, CEO and chief scientist of Aerofugia.

With a flight range of 200 kilometers, it can meet diverse needs such as airport shuttle, intercity commuting, and low-altitude tourism, he said.

Guo said his company has received commercial orders for hundreds of AE200s. It aims to secure airworthiness certification next year before launching trial commercial operations.

Sichuan Hangkun Aircraft Manufacturing Co Ltd showcased its flagship product, the Eagle-700, a typical general aviation aircraft designed primarily for flight training, air logistics, and aerial tourism.

Zhang Jianping, chairman of the company, said the aircraft boasts a range of 1,000 km, enabling it to reach every county in Sichuan from Chengdu. Mass production is expected to begin next year at the Eagle-700 manufacturing base in Zigong, Sichuan, with an annual capacity of 300 units.

Dai Yongbo, director of the Sichuan Development and Reform Commission, said the province recently issued a package of measures to support low-altitude economy development, covering areas including infrastructure, application scenarios, technological innovation, manufacturing, and special funds.

Sichuan will establish a 3-billion-yuan special fund to foster a robust industrial ecosystem for the low-altitude economy, he said. It will also allocate 300 million yuan in annual provincial funding to specifically support the sector's development.

The policy also includes incentives of up to 20 million yuan for leading low-altitude manufacturing enterprises and subsidies covering up to 60 percent of costs for demonstration low-altitude application scenarios, Dai said.