The low-altitude economy is a comprehensive economic model driven by low-altitude flight activities, which radiates and drives the integrated development of related sectors. It primarily encompasses low-altitude infrastructure construction, low-altitude aircraft manufacturing, low-altitude operational services, and low-altitude flight support, and serves as a vital pillar for developing new-quality productive forces.To implement the decisions and arrangements of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the State Council, the Provincial Party Committee, and the Provincial Government; seize opportunities arising from low-altitude airspace reform, technological innovation, and large-scale application; and accelerate the high-quality development of our city’s low-altitude economy, these Implementation Opinions are hereby formulated.
I. Overall Objectives
Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, we will fully implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the important speech delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping during his participation in the deliberations of the Jiangsu delegation at the second session of the 14th National People’s Congress. Focusing on developing new-quality productive forces tailored to local conditions, we will seize the strategic opportunities presented by intensive innovation and rapid growth in the low-altitude economy sector. Aligned with the city’s goals of building a “manufacturing powerhouse” and establishing a “613” modern industrial system, we will position the low-altitude economy as a key breakthrough area within the aviation industry,systematically advance various tasks including technological innovation, strengthening and complementing industrial chains, enterprise cultivation, infrastructure development, and integrated development in the low-altitude economy, and coordinate the implementation of low-altitude management and industrial system construction. Adopting an approach of adapting to local conditions and pursuing distinctive development, we will foster a low-altitude economic industrial model with Yangzhou’s unique characteristics, promote the low-altitude economy as a typical representative of the city’s new-quality productive forces, and contribute to the construction of Yangzhou as a renowned city for industrial innovation through the high-quality development of the low-altitude economy.
II. Main Tasks
We will align the innovation chain with the low-altitude economy industrial chain—covering the upstream (raw materials and core components), midstream (low-altitude product manufacturing), and downstream (operations and various application scenarios)—and systematically formulate development tasks based on the principles of strengthening science and technology innovation leadership, developing distinctive equipment innovations, integrating infrastructure, and enhancing application-driven development.By 2026, the city aims to establish a low-altitude economy industrial system centered on low-altitude science, technology, and innovation manufacturing and characterized by low-altitude inspection and testing. The city will construct 1–2 general aviation airports, preliminarily establish low-altitude infrastructure, and gradually form an application ecosystem, thereby propelling Yangzhou to become a city with distinctive development in the low-altitude economy.
(1) Promoting the Enhancement of Low-Altitude Innovation Capabilities
1. Focus on advancing the construction of science and technology innovation platforms. With major low-altitude economic science and technology infrastructure as a key breakthrough point, concentrate efforts on building a low-altitude economic system laboratory. Establish environmental impact laboratories, standardization research institutions, certification centers, and training centers focused on meteorology, electromagnetics, and urban environments to conduct research, experimentation, validation, testing, test flights, certification, and training, thereby achieving technological leadership and integration across the entire low-altitude economic industrial chain.Accelerate the construction of innovation platforms such as the Yangzhou Aviation Technology Laboratory, the AVIC Airborne Common Technology Center, the Aviation Composite Blade Laboratory, and the Tiltrotor Aircraft Design Research Institute. In fields including the R&D of complete low-altitude aircraft, advanced composite materials technology and equipment, and core components, establish a group of high-level innovation platforms.Strengthen regional cooperation, leverage key science and technology innovation projects, and integrate into the Yangtze River Delta aviation innovation and industrial chain. Support leading enterprises in collaborating with universities and research institutes to pursue collaborative and model-based innovation across the entire aircraft supply chain. Promote the upgrading of key technologies in areas such as small and micro aviation engines, airborne systems, avionics, and aerospace materials. Conduct research on low-altitude perception and control systems and key technologies for low-altitude information security, and jointly establish high-level laboratories and other innovation platforms.
2. Enhance enterprises’ independent innovation capabilities. Support enterprises in tackling key core technologies for the low-altitude economy across innovation domains such as technology maturation, mass production, testing and validation, and review and certification. Actively cultivate high-tech enterprises and specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative “Little Giant” enterprises in the low-altitude economy sector. Support leading enterprises in establishing high-level R&D institutions such as engineering research centers, enterprise technology centers, and engineering technology research centers, and actively undertake and participate in major national projects and initiatives.Intensify R&D innovation and technological breakthroughs in the low-altitude aircraft sector, supporting primary manufacturers in developing advanced aviation technologies such as complete aircraft design, agile development, novel aerodynamic configurations, and scenario-based application customization;Support software and artificial intelligence enterprises in the low-altitude economy sector to develop common technologies for airborne systems, UAV artificial intelligence and algorithms, scenario-specific application software, and secure UAV chips; support the use of next-generation information and communication, digital, and intelligent technologies to accelerate breakthroughs in low-altitude intelligent connectivity technologies and model innovation.
3. Expand the inspection, testing, and standards system. Conduct in-depth research into the full lifecycle of the low-altitude equipment industry chain—including R&D and design, manufacturing, testing and validation, and operational support—to identify and address gaps in the existing system. Establish and improve a comprehensive inspection and testing system covering the entire industry chain, including complete aircraft, onboard systems, components, parts, and materials.Leverage the resource advantages of the Yangzhou Aviation Technology Laboratory, aviation research institutes and universities, low-altitude aircraft test wind tunnels, and intelligent visual inspection capabilities. Encourage enterprises, universities, and research institutes to conduct testing in areas such as aerodynamics, airworthiness certification, environmental adaptability, and electromagnetic compatibility. Establish a product inspection and testing system, seek to establish a sub-center for airworthiness certification at the national level, and strive for recognition from industry authorities to provide third-party testing and certification services across the entire industry.Support enterprises, universities, and research institutes in developing technical, management, and industry application standards in areas such as low-altitude aircraft manufacturing, low-altitude operation services, and low-altitude infrastructure, thereby producing a range of national, provincial, and industry standards.
(2) Develop the Low-Altitude Manufacturing Industry in Accordance with Local Conditions
4. Develop specialized low-altitude equipment and materials manufacturing. Aligning with the characteristics of Yangzhou’s low-altitude aircraft R&D, manufacturing, and application markets, we will pursue a differentiated development strategy by complementing the operations of leading national enterprises with significant market share and technological advantages. We will guide enterprises to adopt differentiated development strategies to cultivate a group of leading enterprises and products in niche sectors. Focusing on the trends toward unmanned, electric, and intelligent systems, we will accelerate the development of a low-cost, high-performance, and high-safety product system for low-altitude equipment that meets the needs of various application scenarios.Leverage the strengths of Yangzhou’s aircraft prime contractors and final assembly units to prioritize the R&D and final assembly of both unmanned and manned low-altitude aircraft. Capitalize on Yangzhou’s manufacturing capabilities in aviation materials and components to focus on cultivating key segments such as propellers, electric motors, batteries, flight control systems, avionics, and airborne equipment;In response to the lightweighting requirements of low-altitude aircraft, expand the production scale of composite materials such as carbon fiber and aluminum-magnesium alloys, and undertake the manufacturing of aircraft fuselages, structural components, and other parts; leveraging the technical strengths of enterprises such as AVIC Baosheng, develop supporting avionics products such as special aviation cables, and extend into components such as electronic control units; encourage existing supporting processing enterprises in the aviation sector—including those specializing in machining and hydraulics—to expand into the low-altitude economy.
5. Enhance the level of coordination within the industrial and supply chains. Focusing on areas such as low-altitude aircraft airframes, power systems, flight control systems, materials, and onboard equipment, and following the “materials-components-assemblies-system units-airframes” approach, strengthen collaboration and communication between airframe manufacturers and component/supporting processing enterprises; promote the filling of gaps in weak areas and the extension of chains in areas of strength to accelerate the formation of a comprehensive and well-structured low-altitude economy industrial chain.Promote pilot initiatives in key industrial parks. Relying on platforms such as the Aviation Valley in the Jiang-Guang Integration Zone and the Aviation Innovation and Entrepreneurship Base, establish a “R&D hub” for the low-altitude economy to enhance R&D capabilities. Leveraging the Gaoyou and Hanjiang general aviation airports, develop the Gaoyou Low-Altitude Economy Industrial Park and the Yangzhou Aviation Industrial Park (Hanjiang), concentrating projects related to low-altitude economy manufacturing, operations, maintenance, and testing to foster the synergistic aggregation of industrial chain elements.Explore integrated industrial development by encouraging sectors with strong foundations—such as next-generation information technology in Hanjiang and the Economic Development Zone, and new materials, big data, and energy storage batteries in Yizheng—to participate in the low-altitude economy. Conduct technological innovations applying new materials, batteries, chips, and AI to the low-altitude economy to promote cross-sector integration within the industrial chain.Accelerate intelligent upgrades and digital transformation, promote the digitization of the entire lifecycle of low-altitude economy manufacturing and R&D, and establish an industrial internet platform for the low-altitude economy and smart manufacturing demonstration factories tailored to enterprise R&D and manufacturing processes.
6. Strengthen government-enterprise cooperation in the low-altitude sector. Enhance collaboration with leading enterprises in the low-altitude sector. In areas such as airspace management, infrastructure, policy support, and application scenarios, support R&D, production, and product promotion through measures such as introducing key projects and establishing industry-academia-research institutions. Attract and aggregate key elements for low-altitude economic development to create a collaborative platform for R&D and manufacturing in the low-altitude economy.Support private enterprises and research institutions in the low-altitude economy to participate in R&D and manufacturing projects, accelerate their integration into the supply chain system, and cultivate a group of specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative enterprises with outstanding core businesses, strong competitiveness, and good growth potential. Implement the strategic cooperation agreement between the Jiangsu Provincial Government and key entities in the aviation sector to achieve collaborative innovation and mutual promotion within the low-altitude economy.
(3) Improve Low-Altitude Integration Infrastructure
7. Construct infrastructure on an appropriate scale. Balancing development needs with operational efficiency, plan and construct low-altitude infrastructure of an appropriate scale. Accelerate the construction of the Gaoyou and Hanjiang general aviation airports, as well as multiple temporary landing sites, to meet the takeoff, landing, and parking needs of various aircraft, and build corresponding ground support facilities based on the layout of these sites.Launch pilot projects for low-altitude infrastructure, strengthen collaboration with telecommunications operators, and utilize technologies such as 5G-A integrated communication and sensing to optimize urban low-altitude communication networks. Establish an active, real-time, interactive sensing and safety monitoring system to ensure the interconnectivity of low-altitude flight communication data, and gradually expand these initiatives from pilot areas to primary application regions.
8. Promote the classification and demarcation of low-altitude airspace routes. In accordance with national regulations on the demarcation of airspace for unmanned aerial vehicles and controlled airspace, and in consideration of the actual conditions of Yangzhou’s low-altitude airspace, we will align with the city’s overall development trends. Based on specific needs such as logistics transportation, air travel, and safety inspections, and taking into account both the differences and commonalities among various demands, we will precisely demarcate balanced, flexible, and compatible airspace suitable for flight, as well as low-altitude air routes.Actively coordinate with military and civil aviation authorities to secure their support, ensuring the safety of test flights and operational flights for low-altitude aircraft, and achieving the effective utilization of airspace resources.
9. Advance the development of low-altitude regulatory platforms. Strengthen the construction of new infrastructure for intelligent and connected low-altitude systems, actively integrate with Jiangsu Province’s low-altitude flight management service mechanisms and platforms, and establish municipal-level low-altitude regulatory service platforms as needed. Achieve data and service interoperability with provincial platforms, integrating “sensing, transmission, computing, and control” into a unified system. Provide services such as airspace and route applications, flight plan filings, aeronautical information,meteorological support, air traffic risk identification and early warning, and aircraft and personnel management. This will enable real-time detection, precise control, and coordinated comprehensive supervision of drones, fostering a safe, orderly, and efficient low-altitude flight environment.
(4) Develop and Expand Low-Altitude Application Scenarios
10. Plan application scenarios based on the “Low-Altitude Economy+” approach. Treat the low-altitude economy as a key means to enhance administrative efficiency and drive innovation in production methods. Guided by the development of industrial ecosystems, identify and plan a range of innovative low-altitude economic application scenarios across multiple sectors.Strengthen government-enterprise collaboration to develop a range of demonstration and commercial application scenarios for public services, including government services, municipal management, power line inspections, river and lake patrols, highway inspections, medical emergency response, disaster relief, agricultural and forestry pest control, land surveying, ecological management, and logistics distribution. Additionally, develop application scenarios such as eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft) and short-distance cargo drone transport.In conjunction with the construction of the Gaoyou and Hanjiang general aviation airports, plan for low-altitude economy service application scenarios such as test flights, validation testing, and maintenance.
11. Strengthen the Matching of Supply and Demand for Application Scenarios. Carry out activities such as identifying and showcasing high-quality scenario solutions and facilitating supply-demand matching. Attract and cultivate a group of low-altitude product and service providers, and foster organizations dedicated to promoting scenario applications. Encourage and guide low-altitude operation enterprises to participate in the development and demonstration of low-altitude scenarios across all industries in the city, explore the establishment of win-win business models, and create a set of replicable and scalable model application scenarios.Prioritize attracting low-altitude economy talent teams, key enterprises, and innovation service platforms. Using application scenarios as a driving force and practical applications as a guide, explore the establishment of a coordinated mechanism linking the development and opening of low-altitude application scenarios, pilot demonstrations, comprehensive applications, and project attraction.
12. Develop derivative industries of the low-altitude economy. Extend the value chain by fostering derivative industries of the low-altitude economy and expand new low-altitude consumer markets. Leveraging Yangzhou’s unique characteristics as a renowned city of culture and tourism, actively promote the integrated development of tourism and study tours, leisure and entertainment, the convention and exhibition economy, and cultural creativity with the low-altitude economy. Cultivate and expand low-altitude sports and flight experiences, using pilot projects to drive broader, large-scale applications.Actively develop supporting industries such as low-altitude operations, full-lifecycle aircraft maintenance, low-altitude flight training, and drone pilot training to continuously improve the industrial ecosystem. Encourage enterprises to develop customized management and application software tailored to various specific application scenarios. In response to the widespread adoption of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), support the development of related industries, including UAV countermeasure system technologies, products, and systems.
III. Support Measures
(1) Strengthen Coordination and Planning. Establish a dedicated task force for the low-altitude economy and create a comprehensive deliberative and coordinating body for city-wide low-altitude airspace operation management and industrial development. Form a working mechanism that integrates city and district efforts and promotes interdepartmental collaboration. Actively incorporate external industry expert think tanks to enhance coordinated planning, service delivery, supervision, and implementation, and jointly advance major projects and initiatives.Strengthen liaison and advocacy efforts with higher-level authorities, enhance coordination with the military, civil aviation, and other relevant entities, and actively seek to secure airspace resources. Strive for Yangzhou’s participation in national and provincial pilot programs such as civil unmanned aerial vehicle testing. Leverage the roles of the Aviation Industry Comprehensive Party Committee and the Innovation Alliance to facilitate cooperation among low-altitude economy enterprises in business matching, production support, and technological breakthroughs.
(2) Strengthen Support for Key Resources. Ensure the implementation of policies related to the low-altitude economy, and coordinate resources to enhance support for attracting low-altitude economy enterprises and projects, key technological innovation, and the realization of application scenarios. Vigorously promote investment and talent recruitment for the low-altitude economy, and attract a batch of high-quality industrialization and science and technology innovation projects based on the industrial chain map.For low-altitude economy projects that align with Yangzhou’s industrial development direction and possess core technological advantages, municipal and county-level authorities will collaborate to optimize and improve various forms of support—including research platforms, production facilities, and talent compensation—tailored to different sectors such as manufacturing, software, and scientific research. Establish aviation industry companies and industrial investment funds to actively encourage private capital to participate in the development of the low-altitude economy, thereby fostering an industrial environment characterized by the aggregation of resources and vibrant dynamism.
(3) Scientific and Standardized Regulation. We will comply with laws, policies, and standards issued by national, military, civil aviation, and local authorities, implement the requirements of the “Interim Regulations on the Management of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Flights,” and establish institutional frameworks for low-altitude flight operations, safety supervision, and service support to safeguard national security, aviation safety, and public safety.Adhering to the principle of “safety first,” we will strengthen the regulation of low-altitude airspace applications, earnestly implement rules and regulations as well as regulatory responsibilities, establish and improve emergency response mechanisms for low-altitude flights, and crack down on illegal and non-compliant activities that threaten production safety, information security, and flight safety in accordance with the law. We will promote various forms of public outreach activities regarding drones to enhance public awareness of the low-altitude economy and the importance of safe usage. We will strengthen standardized management of activities such as the design, production, operation, and maintenance of low-altitude aircraft to enhance the industry’s capacity for safety risk control.
(4) Optimize Talent Services. Focusing on the talent needs of the low-altitude economy and leveraging various talent programs, we will prioritize the recruitment and cultivation of high-level innovation and entrepreneurship leaders and teams in the low-altitude economy, as well as college graduates and skilled professionals.Leverage the talent-attracting effects of high-quality enterprises and major projects. Support leading enterprises, research institutes, and universities in establishing high-level key laboratories and other innovation platforms to enhance their capacity for cultivating and retaining top-tier talent. Support universities and vocational colleges in Yangzhou in establishing low-altitude economy-related majors to cultivate technical and skilled professionals. Encourage the National Academy of Outstanding Engineers of the Aviation Industry and the Graduate School of the China Aviation Research Institute to intensify efforts in training outstanding engineers in the low-altitude economy sector.
