In China, there is no limit to the imagination when it comes to takeout deliveries. Maybe you’ll think this is an exaggeration but it’s not. If you are in the middle of climbing the Beijing Badaling Great Wall now, and you place an order on your phone, you’ll receive your bottled water and lunch five minutes later.
Tourists can enjoy this near-magic experience thanks to the first normalized drone delivery route that was recently opened. The landing spot for this route is set at the South Nine Towers area of Badaling. Before the advent of this new service, not a single stall or vending machine was set up here in order to keep the original state of the place, and visitors had to walk for almost half an hour to buy food or drinks. Now, with delivery drones in operation, consumers can enjoy such provisions much easier and faster. Moreover, every day after the opening hour, these drones will act like “cleaners,” helping the operation staff carry waste to the designated spot.a drone is delivering takeout
This change was soon captured by international media coverage, with the booming low-altitude economy being a key theme in their reports.
By definition, the low-altitude economy refers to an economic model that features industrial integration driven by low-altitude aviation. Traditional-style general aviation and the newly derived unmanned aircraft industry are both examples of low-altitude economy.the 8th Drone World Congress 2024 [source: internet]
In recent years, China’s low-altitude economy has seen rapid development, which has become an important booster for its economy as a whole.
For example, besides the drone delivery we mentioned at the beginning, entertainment like low-altitude piloting and sightseeing from the skies have also been popular. People can take the eVTOL to cross the Yangtze River, or hop on an “air taxi” and spend 20 minutes in a “City Fly” from Shenzhen to Zhuhai… Environmentally friendly and efficient, the low-altitude economy has soared into the everyday lives of the Chinese, bringing them a better consumer experience while spurring the transformation and upgrading of the consumption structure.eVTOL [source: Xinhua]
With its rich application scenarios and long industrial chain, the low-altitude economy has generated plenty of job opportunities while stimulating consumption. In recent years, drone pilots have become a popular new occupation in China, and “drone licenses” have been sought after by many young people. Currently, more than 225,000 people have acquired the license for unmanned aircraft and qualified as drone operators.a drone pilot [source: Xinhua]
In 2021, the low-altitude economy was incorporated into China’s national plan. Hence, the R&D of core technologies regarding the low-altitude economy has received strong support in China, and the construction of the infrastructure and service guarantee systems for the low-altitude economy has accelerated, which in turn fueled investment, and furthermore gave birth to new business models like low-altitude logistics, low-altitude agriculture, and low-altitude tourism. According to estimates, the volume of China’s low-altitude economy exceeded 500 billion RMB in 2023, and the number is expected to grow to more than two trillion RMB in 2030.low-altitude agriculture [source: internet]
In the past years, many emerging industries have evolved into new growth drivers in China’s economy. Looking into it, a vital impetus lies in the in-depth integration between technological and industrial innovation that relies on the rather complete industrial system and the huge market China boasts. The process is well exemplified by the development of the low-altitude economy, which is also a reflection of how China develops new quality productive forces and drives the high-quality development of its economy.a manufacturing enterprise in China [source: internet]
In the air a thousand meters high, drones shuffle busily, which analogizes how the Chinese economy is seeking to soar to new heights by grabbing new opportunities.
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