Editor's note: As a highlight of new quality productive forces, China's low-altitude economy is undergoing a transformative evolution, marked by a diverse range of application scenarios, broad market prospects and huge development potential.

The concept of 'Low-altitude Economy' was first proposed academically in 2010, first proposed in policy in 2021, first proposed by the top leaders in 2023, first proposed in law on Jan 1, 2024 and officially included in the national Government Work Report in March, 2024.

Eye-catching low-altitude aircraft in various scenarios in China

Low-altitude aircraft have been widely used in various scenarios in China, including for performance, agriculture, tourism, logistics, medical and emergency rescue.

China's first homegrown AS700 civil manned airship not only plays an important role in low-altitude tourism, but can also be used in multiple scenarios such as logistics, intelligent mapping, emergency rescue and urban security.

Application progress in China

Air taxi

Dubbed as "air taxi", the eVTOL aircraft completed its first inter-city electric air-taxi demonstration flight in South China's Guangdong province on Feb 27, 2024.

The first low-altitude short-haul transport route for passengers between Shenzhen and Zhuhai in the Greater Bay Area opened on April 30, 2024.

The passenger-carrying helicopter route connecting Shanghai Pudong Airport and Jiangsu Kunshan City Terminal opened on Aug 18, 2024.