China's first self-developed civil airship, the AS700 Xiangyun, successfully completes its first demonstration flight in a low-altitude tourism application scenario in Jingmen, Central China's Hubei Province, on August 1, 2024. The flight marks a new stage in the industrial application of this technological innovation project. Photo: VCG

China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) on Tuesday held the first plenary meeting of the low-altitude industry development leading group to clarify the development direction of the emerging industry. 

The group studied and assigned key tasks for promoting the high-quality development of the low-altitude industry, which, according to the ministry, represents the direction for fostering new quality productive forces and new economic growth engines, while emphasizing its strategic importance.

China's low-altitude industry is showing a positive development trend, with technologies and equipment breakthroughs, while also expanding application scenarios and gaining robust support from the information infrastructure, the plenary stated. 

The MIIT vowed to enhance the development of infrastructure, policies and financial support for the low-altitude economy. Leading enterprises and products of the industry will receive prioritized cultivation. 

On the same day, the transport department of Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province, released a draft action plan for supporting the high-quality development of the low-altitude economy, seeking public feedback. The draft listed direct financial support for specific low-altitude enterprises that relates to the research, development, and manufacturing of eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft) and large to medium-sized unmanned aerial vehicles of up to 20 million yuan ($2.81 million).

The low-altitude economy refers to cargo and passenger transport by drone or aerial vehicles at elevations of up to 1,000 meters. 

As of June 30 this year, the number of registered drones in China totaled 1.875 million, and the number of operating companies surpassed 14,000, China Media Group reported. 

The low-altitude economy was defined as a strategic emerging industry at the country's annual Central Economic Work Conference in 2023 and written into this year's Government Work Report as a new growth engine.

Global Times