Country's low-altitude economy aims sky high

New growth engine

The low-altitude economy, which plays a key role in nurturing new quality productive forces and serves as a new growth engine, was written into the government work report for the first time last year.

About 30 provincial-level regions across the nation have included bolstering the development of the low-altitude economy into local government work reports and rolled out relevant policies.

Hefei in Anhui province and Guangzhou and Shenzhen in Guangdong province have implemented favorable policies, such as providing subsidies and incentives, to facilitate the development of the low-altitude economy and build up related industrial clusters to gain a competitive edge in the emerging industry.

China aims to establish a new development model for the general aviation industry characterized by high-end, intelligent and green features by 2030, and form a trillion-yuan general aviation equipment market, according to an action plan issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and three other government departments.

By 2027, new-generation general aviation equipment with unmanned, electric and intelligent features will realize commercial application in urban air transportation, logistics distribution, and emergency rescue work, the plan said.

DJI, the world's largest commercial drone manufacturer by market share, has invested heavily in industrial drones that can be used in sectors such as agriculture, electricity, petroleum pipeline inspections, mapping and transportation, creating great economic and social value.

The emergence of industrial drones has reshaped people's lives and production models, as well as promoted the development of diverse industries, said Zhang Xiaonan, director of senior corporate strategy and a spokeswoman for DJI.

Though such drones are still in the initial stage of development, their applications will be more extensive in the future as related technologies advance, Zhang added.

The company has also made forays into the delivery and logistics sector by unveiling its cargo drones. The drones have transported daily supplies, photovoltaic panels, building materials and emergency supplies to mountainous regions and rural areas, helping improve transportation efficiency and relieve labor shortages.

"We are bullish on the prospects for aerial transport and hope to effectively solve the challenges arising from complex terrain and last-mile transportation for the industry," Zhang said.

In addition, DJI used drones to carry out three-dimensional digitalization of national cultural heritage, making contributions to the preservation, restoration and research of cultural heritage and historical relics. Its drones have also been used for public safety, firefighting and emergency rescue.

The Shenzhen-based company expects to further promote the use of drones in all walks of life, Zhang said.