China's low-altitude economy takes flight

中国低空经济的腾飞

A heavy-duty logistics drone is assembled in a workshop of a tech firm in Yichang, central China's Hubei province. (Photo/Zhang Guorong)

在中国中部湖北省宜昌市一家科技公司的车间内，一架重型物流无人机正在组装。（摄影：张国荣）

A recent milestone in China's aviation sector saw the successful maiden flight of an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Resembling an electric vehicle equipped with wings, this innovative craft can carry two passengers at speeds up to 150 km/h below 3,000 meters. Notably, the detachable wings allow it to drive over 300 kilometers on the road.

中国航空领域近期取得一项重要里程碑：一款电动垂直起降飞行器（eVTOL）成功完成首飞。该飞行器外形类似一辆装有机翼的电动汽车，能够在3000米以下海拔以最高150公里/小时的速度搭载两名乘客飞行。值得注意的是，其可拆卸机翼设计使其在地面行驶里程超过300公里。

This achievement reflects the strong momentum of China's low-altitude economy, which is rapidly becoming a key driver of the nation's new quality productive forces. Advancements in airspace management, core equipment breakthroughs, and developing infrastructure networks position the sector to transition from pilot flights to scenario-based validation by 2026.

这一成果体现了中国低空经济的强劲发展势头，该领域正迅速成为培育新质生产力的重要驱动力。空域管理的进步、核心装备的突破以及基础设施网络的完善，使该行业有望在2026年前从试点飞行阶段迈向基于场景的验证阶段。

Across China, diverse application scenarios are rapidly emerging. In major agricultural provinces such as Shandong, Henan and Sichuan, drones are widely used for crop protection, playing an important role in coordinated pest and disease control.

在中国各地，多样化的应用场景正迅速涌现。在山东、河南、四川等主要农业大省，无人机被广泛应用于农作物植保，在病虫害协同防治中发挥着重要作用。

In challenging environments like Yunnan and Xizang autonomous region, drones are essential for high-altitude power grid maintenance, serving as the primary tool for line inspections. Consumer applications are also growing; during 2026 Spring Festival holiday, Chongqing staged seven drone light shows, with drone performances becoming a new driver of consumer spending.

在云南和西藏自治区等复杂环境中，无人机在高海拔电网维护中至关重要，已成为线路巡检的主要工具。同时，消费类应用也在不断增长；在2026年春节期间，重庆举办了七场无人机灯光秀，无人机表演正成为拉动消费的新动能。

Local governments nationwide are actively exploring demand-driven, locally adapted low-altitude applications. Agricultural and forestry operations, along with inspection services, are among the most mature use cases. By 2025, more than 300,000 agricultural drones were operating in China, covering 460 million mu (30.66 million hectares) of farmland.

全国各地政府正积极探索需求驱动、因地制宜的低空应用模式。农林作业以及巡检服务是目前最成熟的应用场景之一。到2025年，中国在役农业无人机已超过30万架，作业覆盖农田达4.6亿亩（约3066万公顷）。

A tourist is on a sightseeing helicopter in southwest China's Chongqing municipality. (Photo/Liu Hui)

一名游客在中国西南部的重庆市乘坐观光直升机。（图/刘慧）

According to Li Chao, deputy director of the Policy Research Office of the National Development and Reform Commission, drones are now widely used for crop protection, fertilization and cargo lifting, significantly improving agricultural productivity. Meanwhile, drone-based power line inspections have exceeded 4 million kilometers, enhancing grid safety.

国家发改委政策研究室副主任李超表示，目前无人机已广泛应用于农作物植保、施肥和货物吊运等领域，显著提升了农业生产效率。同时，基于无人机的电力线路巡检已超过400万公里，有效提升了电网运行的安全性。

"Compared with manual work, crop-protection drones greatly shorten operation time and improve efficiency," said Cheng Zhongyi, a senior technical solutions engineer at DJI Agriculture.

大疆农业高级技术解决方案工程师程忠义表示：“相比人工作业，植保无人机大大缩短了作业时间，提高了效率。“

"Spraying pesticides on a 150-mu orchard used to take four workers over three days. With a drone, the same task can be completed in just one day -- crucial for responding to sudden pest outbreaks," he noted.

他指出：”过去为一片150亩的果园喷洒农药，需要4名工人花费3天时间。有了无人机，同样的任务只需一天就能完成——这对于应对突发性病虫害至关重要。”

For power inspection, drones equipped with LiDAR technology can automatically generate high-precision 3D models, far surpassing visual inspection. They can safely approach high-voltage environments and detect heat anomalies invisible to the naked eye. Even at night, drones can carry out inspections. Work that once took a traditional inspection team a week can now be completed in a single day.

在电力巡检方面，搭载激光雷达技术的无人机可以自动生成高精度的3D模型，其效果远超传统的目视巡检。它们可以安全地接近高压环境，并检测肉眼看不见的热异常。即使在夜间，无人机也能执行巡检任务。过去需要巡检组一周完成的工作，现在一天就能完成。

China has recently launched its first large-scale drone operation in offshore oilfields. The project, officially deployed in the Beibu Gulf, south China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, covering 41 offshore platforms and two onshore terminals. This marks the full-scale industrial application of low-altitude economy technologies in offshore oilfields, establishing a multi-scenario drone operation system.

中国近期在海上油田启动了首个大规模无人机应用项目。该项目已在中国南部广西壮族自治区北部湾正式部署，覆盖41座海上平台和两个陆上码头。这标志着低空经济技术在海上油田实现全面产业化应用，并建立起多场景无人机作业体系。

This progress relies on the mature application of multiple drone models, including the TD550 heavy-lift unmanned helicopter.

这一进展得益于包括TD550重型无人直升机在内的多个无人机型号的成熟应用。

"Offshore logistics has long faced challenges, especially in rough sea conditions where traditional transport methods are limited," said Tian Gangyin, chief designer of the TD550. "The TD550 can withstand winds up to Force 8 and carry more than 200 kilograms per trip."

TD550总设计师田刚银表示：“海上物流长期以来一直面临挑战，尤其是在海况恶劣时，传统运输方式受到很大限制。TD550能够在8级大风条件下运行，每次可以承载200多公斤的货物。”

State Grid Hangzhou Power Supply Company sends a drone to an ultra-high-voltage transmission line in Heling village, Lin'an, Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province for de-icing, Feb. 1, 2026. (Photo/Hu Jianqiang)

2026年2月1日，国家电网杭州供电公司派出无人机前往浙江省杭州市临安市鹤岭村的超高压输电线路除冰。（图/胡建强）

He noted that drones can replace part of the work done by ships and helicopters, improving efficiency by over 30 percent, each year saving nearly 15 million yuan ($2.18 million) in vessel leasing and fuel costs, and reducing carbon emissions by 25,000 tons.

他指出，无人机可以取代船舶和直升机的部分工作，使效率提高30%以上，每年可节省近1500万元人民币（约218万美元）的船舶租赁和燃料成本，并减少2.5万吨碳排放。

At present, China's low-altitude economy is advancing through multiple technological pathways, including fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, manned and unmanned systems, as well as conventional and new-energy power systems, meeting the needs of diverse application scenarios.

目前，中国低空经济正通过多种技术路径协同推进，包括固定翼与旋翼飞行器、有人与无人系统，以及传统动力与新能源动力系统，以满足多样化应用场景的需求。

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), more than 70 domestically developed general aviation aircraft obtained airworthiness certification, while 18 civilian drones received approval. Nearly 30 ton-class drones and around 70 types of eVTOL aircraft are currently under development. As of December 30, 2025, 1,081 enterprises had registered in the sector, with 3,623 product types on record totaling over 5.29 million units.

十四五期间（2021-2025年），中国已有70多款国产通用航空飞机获得适航认证，18架民用无人机获得批准。目前，近30吨级无人机和约70种eVTOL飞机正在研发中。截至2025年12月30日，该行业已注册企业1,081家，备案产品类型达3,623种，总计超过529万台。

An industry expert noted that China has established a complete industrial chain for the low-altitude economy, with a mature full-spectrum drone ecosystem and a leading share in the global market. Technologies such as new energy, intelligent manufacturing and artificial intelligence have provided strong support, driving rapid market expansion.

一位业内专家指出，中国已经建立起完整的低空经济产业链，拥有成熟的全谱系无人机生态体系，在全球市场中占据领先份额。新能源、智能制造和人工智能等技术为其提供了有力支撑，带动市场快速扩张。

Looking ahead, a major challenge for the sector is transitioning low-altitude applications from industrial use to mass consumer adoption.

展望未来，该行业面临的一个主要挑战是推动低空应用从工业用途向大众消费普及转变。

"While many demonstration zones have emerged across the country, most focus on single functions such as logistics or inspection. This is still some distance from the integrated, all-factor ecosystem I envision," said Wu Ximing, chief technical expert at the Aviation Industry Corporation of China.

中国航空工业集团公司首席技术专家吴希明表示：“虽然全国各地已涌现出许多示范区，但大多数仍聚焦于物流或巡检等单一功能。这与我所设想的集成化、全要素生态体系之间仍存在一定差距。“

He noted that the low-altitude economy should be more deeply integrated with urban transportation, emergency response and social governance, becoming a seamless part of everyday life.

他指出，低空经济应与城市交通、应急响应和社会治理更加深层次的融合，成为人们日常生活中无缝衔接的一部分。