Drones are "flashed", "flying" commuting, and "drive" by sightseeing helicopters... From one flight to an industrial chain, from policy blueprint to industrial ecology, the low-altitude economy supports the trillion-level market space with the wings of innovation.

  Not only do you have to "fly", but you also have to fly "steady" and "good". Many interviewees believe that to allow the imagination of technology and market to reflect the reality of life, the low-altitude economy still needs further exploration in key technologies, application scenarios, and construction of new infrastructure.

  "Flying": Technical scenarios accelerate new development

  Sit into the low-altitude eVTOL simulation experience cabin, open the Digital China Real-Scene Map Library, and experience flying over the city immersively; the drone opens up the "lifeline" of low-altitude, and can complete emergency medical blood delivery in 15 minutes - The on-site experience area of ​​the 8th Digital China Construction Summit held recently set up a low-altitude economic zone, with the crowded scene, and the "future traffic experience" is eye-catching.

  This year, the "low-altitude economy" has been written into the government work report for the second consecutive year. As the support policies of all parties continue to strengthen, the technology chain and industrial chain resonate at the same frequency, the supply side and consumption end are moving forward together, and the sky below 1,000 meters is becoming more and more "busy".

  According to data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, 716 enterprises in my country's low-altitude equipment industry have completed registration and registration in the civil unmanned aircraft product information system, with 2,327 types of products registered, with more than 2.91 million aircraft.

  "my country's major information and communication companies, as well as power batteries, motors and other companies, are actively participating in the low-altitude economy, and innovation factors in various fields are accelerating the agglomeration of low-altitude industries." A relevant person in charge of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said.

  The equipment technology level continues to improve, and airworthiness certification is also constantly "breaking the ice".

  At the end of March, Guangdong Yihang General Aviation Co., Ltd. and Hefei Heyi Aviation Co., Ltd., the operators of Yihang Intelligent EH216-S aircraft, obtained the operation certificate of civil unmanned aircraft carrying humans issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China. This is the first batch of civil unmanned aircraft operation certificates for carrying humans in the country, marking the official opening of the "manned era" of China's low-altitude economy.

  "Next, citizens and consumers can purchase tickets at relevant operating points in Guangzhou and Hefei to experience low-altitude tours, city sightseeing and colorful commercial manned services. In the future, operators will gradually develop more scenarios such as urban commuting based on the operational situation legally and compliantly." A relevant person in charge of Yihang Intelligent said.

  Not only that, since the beginning of this year, Meituan's self-developed fourth-generation drone has passed the Civil Aviation Administration's review and obtained the first national low-altitude logistics coverage operation certificate; the first four-seat electric aircraft in the country has been awarded a model certificate, which can be widely used in pilot training, sightseeing travel, experience flight, aerial photography and aerial surveying and mapping in the future.

  Zhu Junyu, director of the Research Office of the Advanced Manufacturing Research Center of Cydie Research Institute, believes that the low-altitude economy has the industrial characteristics of "strong chain, wide integration, and deep radiation". As airspace control is gradually relaxed, pilot demonstrations will bloom at multiple points, enterprises will accelerate the progress of commercialization, and the low-altitude economy will show a rapid growth trend.

  According to CIDI Consultant's estimate, the overall market size of my country's low-altitude economy will reach 859.17 billion yuan in 2025. Riding on the wind, the low-altitude economy is "flying" out of a trillion-level industrial "new channel".

  "Flying well": You still need to jump through many passes

  At present, the development of low-altitude factors in my country continues to improve, but the interviewees also said that overall, my country's low-altitude economy is still in its infancy, and there is still a long way to go from "flying" to "flying well".

  Core technologies and product performance are related to the development of the industry. The person in charge of the interviewed company told reporters that there are still shortcomings in the key components and R&D systems of the industry, and the ability of multidisciplinary integration and innovation needs to be improved. For example, the head of a drone company said that power batteries are currently a key factor restricting the development of aircraft, and battery life restricts the development of application scenarios. These are problems that drone research and development and operation companies are not able to solve.

  It is also important to do a good job in application and improve laws and regulations. The head of a drone company in Shenzhen said that in recent years, more and more companies have entered the fields of urban management inspection, emergency rescue, ecological environment monitoring, etc., and the prices have become increasingly "volume". The companies are under great pressure and urgently need to develop a larger and broader market. The head of a general aviation company said that urban air traffic has limited market demand due to low public awareness and acceptance and high operating costs, which is difficult to support a sustainable business model.

  "The rapid development of the low-altitude economy poses challenges to existing regulations and standards." A interviewed company said that at present, the regulations and standards on airspace management, flight safety supervision, aircraft airworthiness standards, etc. for low-altitude flight are not perfect enough. This makes companies face uncertainty during their operations, increases operational risks, and hinders the maturity of business models and the formation of closed loops.

  In addition, how to navigate and manage low-altitude "roads" require more accurate low-altitude perception and intelligent scheduling systems, and the planning and layout of low-altitude infrastructure needs to be improved at a faster pace.

  "Low-altitude flight activities are increasing, and the demand for low-altitude operation efficiency is gradually increasing. The needs of networked security and data security have put forward higher requirements for digital infrastructure and regulatory service environment." Zhu Junyu said that at present, my country's low-altitude new infrastructure construction has problems such as insufficient quantity, misalignment of supply and demand, and limited use. It is necessary to build a new type of supervision and service model for the low-altitude industry that integrates space, sky and earth and integrates communication, navigation, surveillance and service, and accelerate breakthroughs in low-altitude intelligent networking technology. At the same time, it is necessary to orderly and efficiently promote the layout and construction of infrastructure and resource guarantee capabilities such as takeoff and landing points, charging facilities, maintenance guarantees, and meteorological services.

  "Fly steadily": Run the industrial marathon well

  As an emerging industry with great potential and prospects, developing a low-altitude economy is a "sports race" and a "marathon".

  "We must further strengthen top-level design, accelerate technology and equipment innovation, and build a low-altitude equipment product system that meets the needs of different application scenarios, is low-cost, high-reliability and high safety." Zhu Junyu said.

  In this regard, he suggested that at the national level, integrate and optimize the allocation of scientific and technological resources, strengthen original leading scientific and technological research, strengthen basic research in the low-altitude field, and build major scientific and technological innovation platforms; at the enterprise level, improve the technological innovation capabilities of low-altitude aircraft whole aircraft and parts enterprises, encourage enterprises to increase R&D investment through fiscal and tax preferential policies, concentrate efforts to integrate and improve a number of key common technology platforms, and improve the enterprise innovation service system; at the talent level, cultivate a high-level low-altitude talent team, improve the talent evaluation and incentive system, and optimize innovation and entrepreneurship to create ecological protection talents.

  Focusing on strengthening the traction of multi-scenario applications, Zhang Xuejun, professor of the School of Electronic Information Engineering of Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and director of the Beijing Key Laboratory of Networked Collaborative Air Traffic Technology, believes that local governments should select low-altitude typical application scenarios that are suitable for themselves based on regional characteristics and economic development, and use various application scenarios as a traction. On the basis of clarifying the operating concepts such as operating airspace, role responsibilities, and flight rules, carry out required capabilities analysis, select corresponding technical means, and carry out system construction.

  "All localities need to fully consider the input and output ratio, carry out phased hierarchical construction based on the flight volume, design corresponding management methods, construction standards, and operation standards at each stage, and then gradually iterate and optimize, from simple to traditional." Zhang Xuejun said.

  The booming development of the low-altitude economy is inseparable from the escort of new low-altitude infrastructure. At present, many places are accelerating construction: Shenzhen plans to build more than 1,200 low-altitude take-off and landing points by 2026; Zhejiang plans to reach 20 Class A general airports in the province by 2027, and 150 public drone take-off and landing sites. Many information and communication companies have carried out 5G/5G-A-based low-altitude communication and perception network technology verification and application pilot projects.

  Lu Feng, director of the Beijing Institute of Frontier Future Science and Technology Industry Development, said that it is necessary to optimize the layout of base stations, build a dedicated communication network, and improve navigation facilities. Promote the development of synesthesia integrated technology, develop intelligent networking technology, and promote application innovation. At the same time, formulate and improve policies and regulations on the construction and operation of low-altitude economic network facilities, accelerate the formulation of technical standards and specifications for low-altitude economic network facilities, strengthen network security protection, strengthen data security management, and improve flight safety assurance capabilities.

  The interviewed experts also said that in the next ten years, the low-altitude economy will usher in a period of rapid commercialization, and its impact will transcend the scope of transportation and reconstruct urban space, industrial forms and social operation modes. This process itself is a "marathon" of technology, capital and time. We must give the industry more patience, strengthen the foundation, improve the system, and help the low-altitude economy "go steadily and far-reaching". (Reporter Guo Qian and Mao Siqian)

[Editor in charge: Ran Xiaoning]