The development process of low altitude economy

Early stage before 2010

At this stage, the low altitude economy is still mainly at the conceptual level. Due to technological and policy limitations, low altitude flight activities are relatively limited and mainly concentrated in specific fields such as military reconnaissance and attack. The technology of civilian unmanned aerial vehicles is not yet mature, and its market application is relatively limited.

Concept proposal and exploration stage: 2010-2020

Concept proposal: In 2010, the term "low altitude economy" was first proposed by Zhou Qiaohong, doctoral supervisor of the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. In the following decade, researchers began to elaborate and explore the concept definition and industrial composition of low altitude economy from different perspectives and using different methods.

Technological breakthrough: At this stage, significant breakthroughs have been made in drone technology. With the continuous improvement of drone technology and the reduction of costs, commercial drones are gradually entering the market. The application of unmanned aerial vehicles in fields such as aerial photography, agricultural crop protection, and environmental monitoring is gradually emerging.

Policy exploration: National and local governments have also begun to explore policies for the low altitude economy. For example, some local governments have introduced regulations on drone flight management to standardize drone flight activities. At the same time, some research institutions and enterprises have begun to explore business models and profit channels for low altitude economy.

Policy Promotion and Rapid Development Stage 2021-2023

Policy Promotion: In 2021, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issued the "Outline of the National Comprehensive Three dimensional Transportation Network Plan", which for the first time incorporated the concept of "low altitude economy" into national planning and explicitly proposed the development of low altitude economy. The introduction of this policy provides important policy support and guidance for the development of China's low altitude economy industry. Subsequently, various types of drone companies emerged one after another, and the market began to develop rapidly. The drone industry has become a strategic emerging industry during China's 14th Five Year Plan period, and it has become an important engine for the development of the "low altitude economy".

Rapid market development: Driven by policies, the low altitude economy market has begun to develop rapidly. The number of drone companies has significantly increased, and the variety and quantity of drone products have also grown rapidly. The application of drones in areas such as aerial photography, logistics distribution, and public services is becoming increasingly widespread. For example, drone aerial photography has become an important tool in industries such as advertising, film and television, and real estate; Drone logistics delivery has also begun pilot operations in some cities.

Continuous technological innovation: With the continuous advancement of technology, the functionality and performance of drones are also constantly improving. For example, drones are beginning to have longer endurance, higher payload capacity, and more stable flight performance. These technological innovations provide strong technical support for the development of low altitude economy.

At present, China's low altitude economy industry is developing rapidly, involving areas such as but not limited to drone aerial photography, logistics distribution, public services, etc. With the continuous advancement of technology and the continuous promotion of policies, the future development prospects of China's low altitude economy industry are broad.