context: The low-altitude economy is hailed as a potential growth engine, but military dominance over civilian airspace has been a key challenge for development. Leadership in airspace management saw a notable change in 2020 when Cai Jianjiang 蔡剑江 Air China Group former chair, became the first civil aviation professional to head the National Air Traffic Management Committee Office. In July 2024, the Southern Theater Command Air Force expressed support for the low-altitude economy, indicating an ease of military control. Further institutional reforms may be on the horizon.
The NDRC (National Development and Reform Commission) announced the establishment of a low-altitude economy division during a meeting with representatives from transportation, civil aviation, industry and public security departments on 25 December, according to a post by Beijing LAE (Beijing Low-Altitude Economy Consulting Co., Ltd. According to the Low-Attitude Economy Network, the official announcement has not yet been posted on the NDRC website.
This new division aims to coordinate and advance the development of the low-altitude economy, addressing challenges in airspace management, regulatory oversight and technical standards, as the post states. The move reflects the importance of low-altitude economic activities in national planning, technological innovation and regional growth.
Beijing LAE is the first consulting company to focus on this sector. It aims to support government initiatives by researching industry trends, promoting policies and fostering low-altitude economy scenarios.
According to Beijing LAE, the responsibilities of the new division will include
- coordination and regulation
- developing and overseeing a comprehensive national development plan
- addressing critical issues such as
- airspace management
- safety regulations
- technical standards
- promoting orderly and sustainable development
- legislation and standardisation
- formulating and refining rules and industry standards
- strengthening market supervision and enterprise compliance mechanisms
- raising entry thresholds to ensure high-quality growth in the sector
- innovation and regional development
- fostering corporate research and development through policy incentives and funding support
- integrating low-altitude economic activities with emerging technologies to cultivate new growth drivers and industrial models
- providing tailored guidance to regions based on their unique conditions
The low altitude economy spans multiple sectors, such as aviation, transportation and public security. The new division is expected to enhance collaborative efforts to streamline policymaking and ensure interdepartmental coordination, argues Low Attitude Economy Network.
The plan was first revealed by Chen Zhijie 陈志杰 Chinese Academy of Engineering academician and Air Traffic Management System Key Laboratory director at the Greater Bay Area Science Forum on 18 November. According to Chen, central-level low-altitude economy development guidelines would soon be released to provide strategic direction.