This year's government work report proposed to "actively build new growth engines such as bio-manufacturing, commercial aerospace, and low-altitude economy." How to develop low-altitude economy has become one of the hot topics discussed by representatives and members of the two sessions this year.

Wu Renbiao, deputy to the National People's Congress and vice president of Civil Aviation University of China, said that since the beginning of this year, with the strong promotion of the central government and the state, low-altitude economy has quickly become an important issue of great concern to local governments at all levels. Shan Xiaoming, deputy to the National People's Congress and full-time chief of the Aviation Research Institute of China, said that as a representative of new strategic emerging industries, low-altitude economy is increasingly becoming a "new track" for the industrial development of the country.

We will promote the development of the UAV industry and the opening up of low-altitude airspace

What is a low-flying economy? Shan Xiaoming introduced that the low-altitude economy refers to a comprehensive economic form with various types of low-altitude flight activities of manned and unmanned aircraft as traction, radiation to drive aircraft research and development, production, sales and low-altitude flight activities related infrastructure construction and operation, flight support, derivative comprehensive services and other fields of industrial integration and development, which contains huge space for development.

National People's Congress deputy, China Aviation Research Institute full-time chief division Shan Xiaoming. Respondent contribution

In December last year, the "Shenzhen Special Economic Zone low-altitude economic Industry Promotion Regulations" was first introduced, followed by the introduction of the country's first low-altitude economic industry promotion special regulations in January this year. According to reports, according to incomplete statistics, 26 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) in the country have written low-altitude economy into the government work report.

In the interview, many representatives and members said that the development of the UAV industry and the opening of low-altitude airspace are an important part of the development of low-altitude economy.

Chen Qianwen, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), deputy chairman of the Guangdong Provincial Committee, Shenzhen Municipal Committee, and vice chairman of the Shenzhen CPPCC, said that in recent years, with the increasingly mature UAV technology and the gradual opening up of low-altitude airspace control, China's huge low-altitude economic industry chain has emerged, and low-altitude economy will become a new economic growth pole of the city.

Wu Renbiao said that the UAV industry is an important part of the low-altitude economy and development engine, low-altitude airspace is the basic strategic resources of the country, is the key input elements of the low-altitude economy, and has great economic, national defense and social value. Under the double superposition of low-altitude reform and economic policy, low-altitude economic development ushered in a major opportunity period. By the end of 2023, there are 19,800 UAV operating enterprises in the country, and 2,200 UAV manufacturers in the country, and the development of China's UAV industry has been in the world's leading level.

Wu Renbiao, deputy to the National People's Congress and vice president of Civil Aviation University of China. Respondent contribution

Some core technologies of low-altitude economy are still "stuck"

Although the low-altitude economy has ushered in a new period of development, deputies and members found in the investigation that there are still some factors limiting the development of the low-altitude economy.

Wu Renbiao is concerned that the UAV industry in northern China is not gathered enough, and the production cost of enterprises is high. In his research, he found that at present, the UAV industry in the southern region of China has gradually emerged, and the large-scale dual-use UAV industry mainly in the southwest region (Sichuan Province) and the micro, light and small consumer UAV industry mainly in the central and southern region (Shenzhen City) have gradually gathered. The UAV industry in northern China has no obvious gathering area, and the cost and convenience of enterprises in parts processing, talent support, logistics and transportation are not as good as in the industrial gathering area, which has an impact on the development of the UAV industry in northern China.

Chen Qianwen introduced that the state's ban on low-altitude airspace from allowing test flights to approving flights has greatly promoted the development of low-altitude economy. However, the planning system of urban low-altitude air routes needs to be further improved in the areas of airspace classification, infrastructure construction, air route network construction and operational safety evaluation. In addition, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has the conditions for the development of general aviation in the "15-minute economic life circle", but it lacks the basis and regulatory rules for applying for permission for low-altitude civil aviation flights. At the same time, some core technologies of low-altitude economy still have the situation of "stuck neck", the flight control system of most domestic UAV enterprises has not yet achieved autonomous control, and high-value components such as the main control chip and sensors of drones are still mainly imported.

Shan Xiaoming said that although a number of provinces have carried out low-altitude airspace reform pilots, and made no small progress in optimizing the airspace use mechanism, simplifying flight approval procedures, and ensuring flight safety, the restrictions in the domestic low-altitude field have not been fully released, resulting in the current "difficult" aviation industry, and the flight activities of general aviation enterprises can not be implemented in accordance with the original flight plan. Even the question of cancellations and grounding flights.

It is suggested to deepen the reform of low altitude airspace

How to develop low-altitude economy?

Chen Qianwen suggested that the future high-speed development of low-altitude economy will increase the amount of sky traffic, so it is necessary to pilot the construction of low-altitude economic industry comprehensive demonstration zone to explore, improve the urban low-altitude airspace support capacity and governance capacity, moderate foresight to promote the conversion of airspace resources from natural resources to economic resources.

Chen Qianwen, member of CPPCC National Committee, Deputy Chairman of Guangdong Provincial Committee, Shenzhen Municipal Committee, Vice chairman of Shenzhen CPPCC. Respondent contribution

She suggested deepening low-altitude airspace reform. To support Shenzhen in exploring pilot projects to authorize local governments to manage low-altitude airspace, and to authorize local governments to manage non-regulated low-altitude airspace in stages and batches on the basis of ensuring safety and not affecting military and civil aviation flights. At the same time, the pilot will appropriately raise the height of commercial operation routes in low-risk areas with good low-altitude flight conditions. Carry out low-altitude flight tests in airspace with different classifications, integrate flight verification between low-altitude manned aircraft and drones, and explore and formulate operating rules such as low-altitude flight interval and conflict deployment.

In addition, to implement unified management of "low-altitude airspace" in the Greater Bay Area, coordinate solutions to issues such as differences in air control between Hong Kong, Macao and the Mainland, and ensure a safe flight environment from the aspects of space technical guidelines, supporting planning and construction, and safe driving at low altitudes. Support Shenzhen in exploring the intelligent approval mode for low-altitude flights, and explore the application and approval of digital intelligent flight activities in authorized pilot airspace under safe and controllable conditions, so as to improve the approval efficiency of low-altitude flights.

Promote the integrated development of the Beijing-Tianjin twin city UAV industry

Wu Renbiao suggested that in the development of the UAV industry, Beijing and Tianjin can be misplaced development and complementary resources. For example, Beijing revolves around R&D and design, while Tianjin revolves around manufacturing and testing applications, he said. Beijing will give full play to its advantages in scientific and technological innovation and human resources, and Tianjin will give full play to its advantages in advanced manufacturing research and development and its spatial advantages as a "neighboring capital" and "near sea". "Tianjin has jurisdiction over 153.67 kilometers of coastline and about 2,146 square kilometers of sea area, so Tianjin can serve the verification flights that Beijing needs in the development and design of drones, and relieve the pressure on Beijing's airspace resources."

At the same time, he suggested that the two civil unmanned aviation test zones in Beijing and Tianjin should be used as twin engines to promote the integrated development of the Beijing-Tianjin twin city UAV industry. "Yanqing District in Beijing and Binhai New Area in Tianjin have begun to take shape under the guidance of the Civil Aviation Administration, so the two cities can jointly draw the UAV industry chain map, as part of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei aerospace industry chain map, to promote the agglomeration of the UAV industry in the northern region, and promote the gradual gathering of upstream and downstream supporting enterprises."

Technology leads through the industrial chain upstream and downstream

The reporter noted that not long ago, Shenzhen's low-altitude economic development has a very important new attempt, February 27 at 5 PM, two electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft (eVTOL) took off from Shenzhen Shekou pier, after circling over Shenzhen Bay for a week, one of them returned, one flew 50 kilometers away to Zhuhai Jiuzhou Port dock, 20 minutes later landed smoothly. This is the first public demonstration flight of the world's first cross-sea cross-city eVTOL route, which is regarded by the eVTOL industry as a milestone event in the development of low-altitude economy.

Airworthiness certification is an important part of eVTOL for commercial application. In this regard, Chen Qianwen put forward suggestions to support Shenzhen in the airworthiness certification of drones, eVTOL and other new low-altitude aircraft, build an airworthiness certification body with the Civil Aviation Administration of China, organize the research of UAV airworthiness certification technical standards, and cooperate with the civil aviation department to improve the classification of UAV airworthiness standards system. Support Shenzhen's participation in the international bilateral mutual recognition of UAV model qualification airworthiness procedures, and jointly lead the formulation of international airworthiness certification standards for unmanned aerial vehicles.

At the same time, she suggested that based on the management needs of military and civil aviation and local governments on low-altitude airspace and the service needs of low-altitude operation enterprises, innovative low-altitude intelligent integration infrastructure project (SILAS) construction, including low-altitude ground flight service facility network, intelligent low-altitude information infrastructure air network, shared digital base low-altitude airway network, intelligent scheduling supervision service network. Support the docking of SILAS system with military and civil aviation systems, and share real-time flight data information.

To build a national low-altitude economic and industrial comprehensive demonstration zone

Shan Xiaoming suggested that the national level set up a leadership system of low-altitude economic development organizations, specify the leading departments, set up specialized agencies, long-term track the development of low-altitude economic formats, responsible for industrial policy research, major project docking and coordination of key issues, accelerate the introduction of the implementation of low-altitude industrial development implementation plans, the introduction of supporting industrial policy support documents, and clarify the development priorities of low-altitude industries. We will accelerate the construction of low-altitude infrastructure and guide the development of navigation operation scenarios.

In view of the growing development of navigable "low, slow and small" aircraft, the use of airspace is "refined" and segmented management, the flight area of different types of aircraft is divided from altitude and relative altitude, the airspace is implemented dynamic management and refined use, and some altitudes and time periods are adjusted to ensure navigable flight, and the development of the navigation industry is promoted.

In addition, she also suggested that the national level plan to build a national low-altitude economic and industrial comprehensive demonstration zone, and introduce financial support policies for the construction and operation of general airports at the national level.

Beijing News reporter Wu Tingting

Editor Zhang Shujing proofread Liu Baoqing