China’s low-altitude economy to hit 2 trillion yuan by 2030, maiden intercity eVTOL flight takes to the skies
- China’s low-altitude economy exceeded 500 billion yuan (US$69.5 billion) last year, and is expected to reach 2 trillion yuan by 2030
- In the latest milestone, an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft flew between the southern cities of Shenzhen and Zhuhai
China’s low-altitude economy – having been made a priority by Beijing – is expected to reach 2 trillion yuan (US$278 billion) by 2030, with this week’s unmanned maiden intercity electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) flight representing the latest milestone for the burgeoning sector.
The sector exceeded 500 billion yuan last year, Han Jun, deputy head of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), said on Thursday.
Han also said that the Chinese civil aviation authority planned to collaborate with local governments to construct civil airports and temporary eVTOL landing sites.
Beijing listed the low-altitude economy as one of the strategic emerging industries at the tone-setting central economic work conference in December.
It is seeking to obtain the lead in the burgeoning global low-altitude economy, which refers to a wide-ranging industry revolving around manned and unmanned civil aviation vehicles usually operating below an altitude of 1,000 metres (3,281 feet), and its activities could include passenger transport, cargo delivery and other operational tasks.
China can easily apply these accumulated experiences to its low-altitude economic sector
On Tuesday, a five-seater Prosperity aircraft, developed by AutoFlight, cut the travel time between the southern cities of Shenzhen and Zhuhai by two thirds after completing the flight in 20 minutes, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
