Published : 17/07/2025
The term "low-altitude economy" broadly refers to economic activities conducted at altitudes below 1,000 m, primarily using drones and other aerial technologies.
It represents not only an emerging economic model but also a rapidly growing industry in China, widely regarded as a prime example of "new quality productive forces."
The "high-flying" low-altitude economy: Drones take the lead
As a burgeoning sector, China's low-altitude economy boasts an impressive scale.
Latest figures show that in 2024, the industry's total size reached approximately 670 billion RMB, with expectations to double to 1.5 trillion RMB by 2025. By 2035, it is projected to exceed 3.5 trillion RMB.
Among the various segments of the low-altitude economy, drones stand out as the driving force. In 2024 alone, the drone industry's scale hit 173.7 billion RMB, playing a pivotal role in logistics, agriculture, inspections, and more.
Policy support enables the low-altitude economy to "take off"
A key factor behind China's thriving low-altitude economy is its innovation prowess, accounting for 70% of global patent applications in this field—a clear indicator of its leading position. This success is underpinned by comprehensive policy support, infrastructure development, and regulatory frameworks.
In fact, the elevation of the low-altitude economy to a national strategic emerging industry did not happen overnight. As early as 2021, the Chinese government outlined in the "National Comprehensive Transportation Network Plan" its intention to integrate the low-altitude economy into the national transport strategy, setting a clear direction for its development.
The 2024 Government Work Report further identified the low-altitude economy as a crucial new engine for economic growth, signalling its ascent to a strategic level in national economic planning and securing strong governmental backing.
Subsequently, guided by national policies, local governments have actively responded. Cities such as Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hefei, and Changsha have rolled out supportive policies and implementation guidelines to explore practical applications of the low-altitude economy.
Infrastructure and regulation ensure the low-altitude economy "flies far"
For the low-altitude economy to sustain long-term growth, robust infrastructure and effective regulation are essential.
Take drones, for example—their large-scale deployment relies heavily on stable, high-speed communication networks for command, dispatch, and data transmission. Thus, network infrastructure serves as the "nervous system" of the low-altitude economy.
China currently leads the world in 5G and advanced 5G-A (5G-Advanced) network deployment, with the latter already covering over 330 cities, providing a solid communication backbone.
As drone applications expand, the number of devices in operation will inevitably rise. To ensure safe and orderly low-altitude operations, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has established the Unmanned Operation Management System (UOM), now one of the world's largest and most advanced integrated civilian drone regulatory platforms.
As of 2024, the UOM has registered over 3.2 million drone-related enterprises, effectively managing more than 1.2 million drones and issuing 270,000 drone pilot licenses. This system has preliminarily addressed the challenges of "visibility and control" in low-altitude airspace, laying a solid foundation for the industry's healthy development.
A promising future for China's low-altitude economy
China's low-altitude economy is still in its early stages, but with the combined efforts of national policy, infrastructure, and regulation, its prospects are highly optimistic.
Looking ahead, as policies continue to refine, infrastructure improves, and market demand grows, the low-altitude economy is poised not only to inject new momentum into economic growth but also to profoundly transform production and lifestyles across society.