Innovation pushing low-altitude aircraft to new heights in China

Ren Bin, chairman of Chengdu-based industrial UAV manufacturer JOUAV, said UAVs, equipped with all kinds of sensors will empower comprehensive management in various fields such as transportation, forest inspection and urban management.

"Low-altitude digital economy, rather than low-altitude transport and logistics, will probably be the main business form and growth point of low-altitude economy in the next five to 10 years," he said.

Cheng Chengqi, a Peking University professor and a member of China's air traffic management advisory committee, proposed to build a low-altitude three-dimensional traffic signal system to empower low-altitude traffic management and safe navigation.

Similar to how we use car navigation systems, once the start and end points are set, this system can plan feasible flight routes for low-altitude aircraft, he said.

"The era when air taxis will be as popular as cars today is coming soon," Cheng said, adding that this system will enable everyone to fly an air taxi and every household to enjoy the services they provide.

The market scale of China's low-altitude economy reached 505.95 billion yuan ($71.77 billion) in 2023, up 33.8 percent year-on-year, and is projected to surpass 1 trillion yuan in 2026, according to a report by market research institute CCID Consulting.