Shanghai drives flying-car development for sightseeing, logistics, surveillance and more
Low-altitude economy refers to businesses operating aerial vehicles below 3,000 metres
Shanghai plans to set up at least 100 service areas where companies that make pilot-free flying cars can hone and commercialise their technologies, after Beijing called for a stronger low-altitude economy.
Xue Bing, chairman of Shanghai New Jinshan Century Aviation Development, said Thursday that the flying drones developed by more than 40 firms operating at the East China Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Base will offer a wide range of services including sightseeing, logistics, surveillance and transport services.
“Local authorities are building infrastructures and expanding experimental zones to enable operation of eVTOL [electric vertical take-off and landing] vehicles in as many [service areas] as possible,” he said at the China International Import Expo. “Shanghai is accelerating its pace in developing the low-altitude economy.”
The low-altitude economy refers to businesses operating aerial vehicles below 3,000 metres; it has been ascendant since 2021 when Beijing introduced policies and regulations to bolster the sector.
The East China UAV Base, which spans about 1,400 square kilometres of airspace, was developed by local governments and is managed by state-owned New Jinshan Aviation Development. It is one of 20 pilot zones approved by Beijing for eVTOL businesses.
Drone maker DJI and logistics company SF Express are two of the 40 businesses that conduct tests at the UAV base. The base also serves as a training ground, as well as an incubator for promising start-ups, Xue added.
