Drones: Low-altitude economy takes off in China’s Shenzhen

On the Agenda

During the recent New Year holiday, Zeng Bin experienced a unique takeout service in the southern Chinese metropolis of Shenzhen, with his order delivered to him by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

The entire process of placing the order and receiving two cups of tea-based beverages took only about 15 minutes, while the actual flight time amounted to less than five minutes.

The flight route used for this tea delivery is one of 23 drone delivery routes established by the internet platform Meituan in Shenzhen. This experience offers a glimpse of the role of low-altitude logistics in urban life in Shenzhen.

According to statistics from the Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Transportation, the city had opened 77 new UAV routes and completed over 600,000 UAV cargo transport flights in 2023.

As an important driving force of new economic momentum, the low-altitude economy is viewed by many as a key strategic emerging industry.

Shenzhen’s low-altitude economy industry, leveraging research and market application advantages, has taken off in recent times, injecting powerful impetus into high-quality economic development.

Over the years, Shenzhen has released several industry plans and regulations, formulating rules and operational standards for civilian UAV management, and providing strong policy and legal support for the development of its low-altitude economy.

At the end of 2023, Shenzhen issued 20 specific support measures for the low-altitude economy, including ones nurturing enterprises in the supply chain, encouraging technological innovation, expanding applications for low-altitude flights, and improving the industrial supporting environment.

In addition to new low-altitude services supported by drones, Shenzhen’s traditional general aviation industry has consistently maintained a leading position nationwide.

During recent years, helicopter flights between Shenzhen airport and the central business district in Futian, known as “air taxis,” have been operational, with over 20,000 flights recorded in 2023.

Latest statistics show that Shenzhen is home to more than 1,500 enterprises in the low-altitude economy industry chain. DJI, an industry leader in civilian-use drones, was first established in Shenzhen and now holds a global market share of over 70 percent.

Shenzhen’s soaring low-altitude economy has also helped to further facilitate logistics and the flow of people in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

“Located in the core of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Shenzhen is economically active and has a strong market demand,” said an official of the Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Transportation. “As low-altitude infrastructure continues to improve and economies of scale expand, the market size for urban commuting is expected to significantly increase.”

Currently, Shenzhen is accelerating the construction of infrastructure and supporting facilities for its low-altitude economy.

By 2025, Shenzhen plans to deploy more than 600 low-altitude drone launch and landing platforms and operate over 220 urban drone routes. The city also plans to nurture more than 1,700 enterprises in the low-altitude economy industrial chain, and aims to achieve a low-altitude economy output of over 100 billion yuan. MDT/Xinhua