BEIJING, — China’s new low-altitude economy — made up of manned or unmanned aerial services at low altitudes — has attracted interest from investors, but many lack information and guidance on how the sector will develop, an industry group said Tuesday.
Early plans for China’s low-altitude economy often refer to services such as the delivery of small quantities of goods at an altitude of 1,000 meters. But some locals also see the sky up to 3,000 meters.
As China loosens airspace restrictions and offers incentives to develop the sector, manufacturers in the world’s top drone-producing nation are testing ever-larger payloads and transport companies are planning manned and unmanned air taxi services.
Its aviation regulator expects a 2-trillion-yuan industry by 2030 – a four-fold expansion from 2023 – with vertical mobility seen as a „new productive force” in areas such as passenger transport and cargo delivery.
The sector will be a key driver of a new round of economic development, said Luo Jun, executive director of the China Low-Altitude Economy Alliance, saying specific ideas on how to build a low-altitude economy are not clear enough.
„A low-elevation economy does not have a mature business model to learn from abroad,” Luo said in a statement. „Many companies are both excited and confused about the economics of low altitude.”
Luo said the group will take the lead in guiding cities to quickly develop applications that can be replicated commercially when the China Low-Altitude Economy Alliance, which includes more than 100 companies, is established in early August.
To begin with, infrastructure and supporting services must be built, but duplication must be avoided, he cautioned.
Chinese civilian drone makers are testing large unmanned aerial vehicles this summer to carry cargo, fueled by ambitions to autonomously deliver goods to destinations up to 2,000 km away.
Earlier this month, a Shanghai company launched unmanned helicopter services for travelers looking to cut the travel time between Shanghai Pudong Airport and the city of Kunshun in Jiangsu province from several hours to 20 minutes.
In central Hubei province, a civilian airship prototype flew nearly 1,000 km last week on a test flight, officials hope to tap demand for sightseeing tours.
This article was created from an automated news agency feed with no changes to the text.
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