What is the low-altitude economy? Why did it "become a hot search" this year? What is the relationship between the low-altitude economy and new quality productivity? What are the advantages and disadvantages of my country's development of the low-altitude economy? What is the future trend of the low-altitude economy? For these issues, Guo Qi, chief planner of the China Aviation Planning and Design Research Institute, put forward his own views.
Empowering multiple scenarios and preparing for a new track
The industrial content of the low-altitude economy not only covers most of the traditional general aviation industry formats, but also incorporates new low-altitude industry formats based on new aircraft such as drones and eVTOL. Compared with the general aviation industry we are familiar with, Guo Qi believes that the low-altitude economy has four differences: First, in terms of conceptual connotation, the low-altitude economy belongs to an economic form, while general aviation is generally classified as an industrial form. Second, in terms of spatial scope, the flight altitude of the low-altitude economy is mainly within 1,000 meters of true altitude, while general aviation has a wider range of flight altitude requirements. Third, in terms of flight activities, the low-altitude economy integrates flight activities in multiple fields such as military, civilian, and police, while general aviation generally only includes flight activities belonging to the civilian field. Fourth, in terms of infrastructure demand, the infrastructure required for the low-altitude economy needs to face new flight needs and build new infrastructure including facility networks, route networks, communication networks, and service networks, while the infrastructure required for general aviation mainly includes traditional infrastructure such as flight service stations, runways, and towers. In short, the low-altitude economy is a new quality productivity that takes low-altitude resources as the key production factor, is supported by new infrastructure construction, and is based on the relevant industrial chain driven by low-altitude activities, which can promote the economic development of the region. It can be said that this is a brand new track.
Facing the new stage and creating new value
In recent years, the low-altitude economy has gradually shown a booming trend with the empowerment of science and technology and policies, and has ushered in a major opportunity period. In 2023, the scale of my country's low-altitude economy will reach 505.95 billion yuan, and 2024 will be called the "first year of low-altitude economy". Why did the low-altitude economy "jump to the hot search" this year?
In this regard, Guo Qi said that in the current period of global economic downturn and intensified competition among major powers, my country urgently needs to open up new high-quality strategic emerging industry tracks. The choice of low-altitude economy, on the one hand, benefits from the in-depth advancement of a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, and on the other hand, it is due to the comprehensive integrated advantages of R&D, manufacturing, operation and service guarantee accumulated by my country over a long period of time. In Guo Qi's view, the social, economic and technological value of the low-altitude economy itself is another important reason for its "standing out".
"The low-altitude economy has the characteristics of 'multi-field, cross-industry, and full chain'. While improving the efficiency and service level of urban smart management, it can create new economic growth points and radiate new industrial chains." Guo Qi explained, "At the same time, the development of low-altitude activities will effectively promote the innovation, integration and independent control of new military combat technologies, digital twin technologies, new materials and new energy. From a micro perspective, the development of the low-altitude economy is conducive to stimulating new demand, creating new supply, and developing new resources. It can incubate new products such as eVTOL, open up and utilize new air resources, create new industrial-city relations, industrial chains and application scenarios, thereby changing people's production and living styles, optimizing urban spatial forms, and meeting higher-level people's needs."
Accumulate advantages and innovate productivity
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping has attached great importance to the role of advanced productivity, creatively proposed "new quality productivity", and profoundly explained that the development of new quality productivity is the inherent requirement and important focus of promoting high-quality development.
Guo Qi believes that as a new economic form, the low-altitude economy has the characteristics of high-tech dominance, high-efficiency operation and high-quality development. This concept includes three core connotations: first, high-quality development, which corresponds to new quality productivity; second, high-quality supply, which corresponds to the new industrial chain; third, high-quality demand, which corresponds to a new lifestyle and a new urban space form. The "new quality" of the low-altitude economy is specifically reflected in the three core elements corresponding to the new quality productivity: new workers, new labor objects and new labor tools. "Programmers, drone pilots, big data workers, etc. constitute new labor objects; airspace resources, data resources, new materials and new energy constitute new labor objects; aircraft, data communication, automatic control, remote control, satellite navigation and other technical means are new labor tools." As a new quality productivity and strategic emerging industry, the development of my country's low-altitude economy is still in its infancy and there are many problems and challenges. Guo Qi believes that the shortcomings of the low-altitude economy at this stage are mainly reflected in four aspects: imperfect policies and regulations, immature technical standards, unclear business models, and inconvenient airspace use. "To develop the low-altitude economy, a complete system is needed, involving operation scenarios, technical standards, policies and regulations, etc. It requires multiple entities from all walks of life and departments to work together. The framework in this regard is not yet perfect." Guo Qi explained, "In terms of advantages, I think there are at least four points: market scale advantage, rich scenario advantage, new energy technology advantage, and new infrastructure capacity advantage."
China Aviation Industry Corporation is an important part of my country's scientific and technological strategic force. After 73 years of development, it has formed advantages such as strategic position, high technological content, strong industrial drive, and good reform foundation. It is the "main force" and "national team" to undertake the national aviation strategy. During the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, China Aviation Industry Corporation actively responded to the national green aviation manufacturing development strategy, fully implemented the new development concept, seized new reform opportunities, accelerated the cultivation of new aviation formats, and focused on planning the development of the low-altitude economy.
Guo Qi said: "The various units under the group cover a wide range of businesses and can provide customers with the most professional strategic think tanks, planning teams and system solutions in the country." Guo Qi added, "Our business also covers all links in the industrial chain, including R&D, manufacturing, operations, and service guarantees. In the process of forward-looking research, scenario building and industrialization, we can carry out systematic services such as consulting and planning, scenario building, operation guarantee, investment and financing, and industry introduction in a targeted manner. The Aviation Industry Planning and Design Institute has created a "1+1 product" for low-altitude economy. The first 1: includes the low-altitude economic industry innovation and development plan, low-altitude airspace assessment report, The regional master plan of low-altitude infrastructure planning includes three contents; the second 1: a demonstration construction plan including the construction of low-altitude management platform and intelligent network connection capability, implementation plan of low-altitude flight scenarios, and the implementation of low-altitude industry and its carrier construction. We strive to be the most professional and attentive in the projects serving customers, and escort the construction of a modern low-altitude industrial system and the acceleration of the vigorous development of the industry in the region. "
Guo Qi emphasized that the Aviation Industry Corporation of China should not only become a first-class provider of low-altitude aircraft products in the country, but also a leader in the practical exploration of new quality productivity of the low-altitude economy and a first-class provider of systematic solutions for the low-altitude economy. The full-space unmanned system demonstration zone project launched in Hefei, led by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China and the National Advanced Center, is very representative. The project covers a total area of 12.7 square kilometers in Luogang Park, covering "2 centers + 4 types of unmanned systems + 6 major application scenarios". Relying on eVTOL, unmanned buses, unmanned ships and other carriers, a series of unmanned system operation scenario tests have been carried out, such as: unmanned inspection, unmanned logistics, urban three-dimensional transportation, unmanned passenger and freight, unmanned smart governance, etc., achieving the integrated operation control of sea, land and air unmanned equipment and a number of breakthroughs in the field of low-altitude unmanned system operation control.
"I think the difference of this project lies in: it has effectively broken the market access barriers such as operation system, airspace planning, and data security, and truly realized the "six unifications" of standard system, data center, operation control, testing and certification, communication protocol, and policies and regulations." Guo Qi introduced, "At this stage, we are also working hard to explore new paths for the construction of low-altitude economic demonstration zones that are more in line with the market needs and resource characteristics of different cities and regions. We are currently carrying out extensive practical exploration in Guangdong, Zhejiang, Guizhou, Liaoning, Xinjiang, Shanxi, Chongqing and other provinces and cities."
With the continuous liberation of new quality productivity, my country has achieved initial results in exploring new models of low-altitude economy. Looking to the future, my country will further improve the refined assessment of airspace, strengthen the safety control of "low, slow and small" aircraft, innovate management mechanisms, and promote demonstration pilot experience.
Guo Qi believes that in the future, the country will strengthen overall coordination, increase policy support, and create a good atmosphere. At the same time, a number of joint laboratories, scientific and technological innovation parks and scientific and technological innovation service platforms will be formed to create leading enterprises in the low-altitude economic industry chain with ecological dominance.Synthetic Aperture Radar
"At the same time, the Aviation Industry Planning and Design Institute will further explore and enrich the application scenarios of 'low-altitude economy +' with provinces, cities and counties as the three-level entities, meet the trillion-level market demand, and make the concept of low-altitude economy more comprehensively integrated into the daily life of our people. We will continue to be based on the three-stage systematic solution of 'planning planning + industry promotion + customized construction' coordinated by multiple professions, and explore a new model of low-altitude economy with Chinese characteristics." Guo Qi said, "I think in the next stage, each city should sort out its own resource conditions, clarify development ideas, build characteristic scenarios, coordinate infrastructure, create an industrial ecology, and plan to build a low-altitude economic industrial ecological system that conforms to its own resource characteristics and market demand. Avoid homogeneity and don't rush in."
