AI Digest Pending…
Academician Zhou Chenghu of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) stated that 2024 marks the "inaugural year" for the low-altitude economy, while 2025 may signal the beginning of its exponential growth.
Why is developing the low-altitude economy critical? Zhou emphasized two factors: first, it serves as a vital component of the digital economy, capable of driving significant synergistic growth; second, airspace—a strategic national resource—holds potential to form a new economic framework encompassing passenger transport, cargo delivery, and flight services. He projected that the low-altitude economy could evolve into a 10-trillion-yuan industry, comparable in scale to today’s automotive sector.
Zhou noted that while the low-altitude economy is emerging as a new growth engine, development imbalances remain pronounced. China currently leads in consumer-grade drones but lags in manned drones and large unmanned cargo aircraft. Substantial advancements in equipment manufacturing are required to address these gaps.
He also highlighted challenges in airspace resource management. Historically, China’s airspace has been managed under a military-dominated "civil-military joint control" framework, with local governments lacking expertise. Establishing four foundational infrastructures—infrastructure network, airspace network, route network, and service network—is crucial. “This is a massive undertaking, and local authorities may not see immediate economic returns… but long-term benefits are significant,” he added.
Regarding the sector’s prospects, Zhou asserted that expanding human activity vertically by 100 to 300 meters above ground holds profound historical significance. “Exploiting low-altitude airspace could mirror humanity’s discovery of new continents through maritime exploration, reshaping global socio-economic structures and revolutionizing production and lifestyles.”
