Shenzhen leads China's low-altitude economy development

This photo taken on May 6, 2026 shows a drone delivering takeout food in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province. South China's tech hub of Shenzhen now stands as a leading manufacturing base for unmanned aerial vehicles, producing 70 percent of China's consumer drones and 50 percent of its industrial drones.

The expansion of Shenzhen's low-altitude sector is fueled by the city's increasing investment in sci-tech innovation. From 2020 to 2024, Shenzhen's total R&D investment grew from 151.08 billion yuan to 245.31 billion yuan, representing an average annual growth of 12.9 percent.

China's low-altitude economy has gained substantial momentum since being recognized as a new growth driver in the 2024 government work report.

The outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) calls for the healthy and orderly development of the low-altitude economy, improved precision in low-altitude airspace management, and proactive efforts to expand low-altitude consumption. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)