On May 9, the 2025 China Industrial Transfer &Development Matchmaking Activities (Sichuan) kicked off in Chengdu. One of the dedicated matchmaking sessions centered on the aerospace and low-altitude economic sectors and unveiled a list of 120 investment opportunities to collectively enjoy the dividends of the era.

Breaking free from gravity and soaring upwards, Tianfu Sichuan's low-altitude economy is unleashing a new future. In Sichuan's highest-altitude county, Shiqu County in Ganzi Prefecture, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are used to bridge the "last mile" for package delivery to villages. In the deep mountains of Luzhou, where bamboo forests were previously inaccessible for harvesting, the introduction of low-altitude hoisting and transportation has transformed these scenic forests into economic forests. UAVs carrying blood and other emergency medical supplies speed towards hospitals in Zigong, ensuring life-saving support. These scenes, once only imagined in science fiction, are now a part of our reality, heralding the arrival of the low-altitude economy era.

Within the kilometer-low-altitude sphere, a brilliant glow of new quality productive forces is bursting forth. From the research and development of core components to the innovative manufacturing of flight vehicles and from the opening of dedicated routes to the expansion of application markets, a complete low-altitude economy industrial chain is swiftly emerging in Sichuan.

To date, the province has attracted more than 200 low-altitude equipment manufacturing firms, 69 general aviation companies, and 1,419 UAV operation firms, holding the top position nationwide in the total number of general aviation manned aircraft.

Sichuan's New Blueprint: Cultivating a Low-Altitude Economic Development Hub in the Western Region

Recently, Renmin University of China issued the 2025 China Low-Altitude Economic Urban Development Index Research Report, which provides a systematic assessment of the low-altitude economic development levels across 58 cities in China, with Chengdu securing the third rank among these cities.

The low-altitude economy represents a key direction for developing the new quality productive forces. In December 2023, the Central Economic Work Conference proposed to vigorously nurture strategic emerging industries such as the low-altitude economy, clearly defining its developmental importance. In March 2024, the low-altitude economy was prominently featured in the State Council's Government Work Report for the first time. This year's report further elaborates on the plans to promote the safe and healthy development of emerging industries, notably including commercial spaceflight and the low-altitude economy.

Sichuan is at the forefront of this new arena, seizing the initiative with prompt action. The provincial Party committee and provincial government have convened multiple special meetings to study and deploy strategies, aiming to chart a new blueprint for cultivating a low-altitude economy hub in the western region. In June of last year, the General Office of the People's Government of Sichuan Province issued the "Guidelines for Promoting the Development of the Low-Altitude Economy". Focusing on fostering the growth of the upstream and downstream industrial chains in the low-altitude economy, the document highlights the need to amplify strengths, shore up weaknesses, bolster vulnerable areas, and leverage advantages across four pivotal domains, namely, scenario application, airspace opening, supporting facilities, and product manufacturing, in a bid to accelerate the formation of new quality productive forces.

Before achieving economic lift-off, the low-altitude sector must first attain physical "airborne" capability. As early as 2018, Sichuan pioneered a pilot program in China for the coordinated management reform of low-altitude airspace. This initiative transitioned the approval process for flight plans within the pilot area from a traditional examination and approval system to a submission and filing system. This change significantly simplified the procedure for flight approval applications and greatly stimulated market dynamism. Currently, a low-altitude flight network encircling the Chengdu Plain and connecting southern and northern Sichuan has been established. At the national base for civil UAV testing, which is located in Pengzhou, Chengdu, frequent daily takeoffs and landings keep the site bustling with activity. Here, once the flight mission is filed, the aircraft can take off whenever desired.

During this year's Labor Day holiday, low-altitude tourism projects in various parts of Sichuan saw a surge in bookings. "Flying taxis" have emerged as a new favored option for brief excursions and fashionable adventures within the province. Sichuan has continuously improved its low-altitude infrastructure by constructing 19 general aviation airports, including Chengdu Jintang, Zigong Fengming, and Mianyang Beichuan, leading the southwestern region in terms of airport numbers. Additionally, the construction of Deyang Shifang General Airport is already underway, while the preliminary work is accelerating for 14 other general airports, such as Meishan Hongya and Yibin Changning. General aviation airport clusters are fueling the rapid rise of the "low-altitude cities" across the Bashu region.

In the realm of low-altitude aircraft manufacturing, Sichuan capitalizes on the expertise of prominent industry entities, such as The Second Research Institute of CAAC, Avic Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group, Chengdu Aircraft Design &Research Institute, and AECC Sichuan Gas Turbine Establishment, to establish a full industrial chain covering flight vehicle complete machines, onboard systems, components, parts and materials. Sichuan's medium- and large-scale UAV sector stands as a national leader in terms of industrial scale. JOUAV Co., Ltd., AVIC (Chengdu) UAS Co., Ltd., and Chengdu Lihang Technology Co., Ltd., three industrial-grade UAV companies, have been listed on China's sci-tech innovation board (STAR market). Among them, JOUAV Co., Ltd. is recognized as the "first UAV stock" on the STAR market.

With its wings spanning the low-altitude realm and charting a course for the future, Sichuan stands equipped with the capability and conditions necessary to lead the nation in the new round of industrial competition and cooperation.

Follow the Checklist to Build Cluster Ecosystems and Strengthen Chains: Low-Altitude Industry's Capability Surges with the Trend

In 2024, Sichuan's low-altitude economy surpassed 20 billion yuan in revenue, signaling its progression on the development fast track. Building cluster ecosystems and strengthening chains are key drivers for propelling the low-altitude economy to new heights. Sichuan has designated the low-altitude economy as one of the "15+N" key industrial chains and adhered to high-level promotion. With the provincial leaders in charge serving as "chain leaders", the province established a collaborative promotion mechanism involving "chain leaders, deputy chain leaders, leading departments, main hosting locations, and collaborative development locations". It also formulated an industrial map for the low-altitude economy and four checklists, namely, an industrial ecosystem, major task works, key projects and supportive policies, all aimed at implementing a precise and coordinated strategy.

Sichuan has made plans to construct strategic emerging industrial clusters for UAVs in Chengdu, Mianyang and Zigong, which are precisely the primary locations for hosting the low-altitude economy.

In the first quarter of this year, the ZhongFa TianXin (Chongzhou) New Type Aviation Engine Research and Manufacturing Base project broke ground. As a key project in the development of the low-altitude industry, its completion will address the challenges of high-altitude testing for small and medium-sized aircraft engines and components. In recent years, Chengdu has attracted and nurtured leading low-altitude enterprises with national influence, such as Tengden Technology and Aerofugia. Their aircraft products now cover a full range from 10 kilograms to ton-level, accelerating Chengdu's stride toward becoming the "first city in industrial UAVs".

Mianyang has established an innovative institution—the China (Mianyang) Science and Technology City Low-Altitude Economy Research Institute. Fourteen enterprises, academic institutions, and other organizations have joined forces in industry-academia-research collaborations, reshaping people's imagination of the low-altitude domain. With a focus on the development and application of UAVs, Mianyang has established a one-billion-yuan guidance fund for the low-altitude industry and founded the first low-altitude test and evaluation center in southwest China, essentially forming a complete low-altitude economic industrial chain. In Beichuan County alone, 62 enterprises related to the low-altitude economy industrial chain are present, collectively realizing a total output value of 3.85 billion yuan in 2024.

Zigong's program "Creating 'Something from Nothing' to Capture New Arenas in the Emerging Low-Altitude Economy" was recognized in the 2024 list of high-quality development practice cases and characteristic cases in urban manufacturing released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Zigong has successfully developed Sichuan's only provincial-level economic development zone dedicated to UAVs and general aviation—the Zigong Aviation Industrial Park. This park has been authorized to utilize the largest and highest-altitude pilot airspace in Sichuan, along with designated areas for large-scale UAV test flights, creating a unique advantage of "dual runways" and "dual airspaces" rarely seen nationwide.

Through the collaborative efforts of building cluster ecosystems and strengthening industrial chains, an array of "Made in Sichuan" low-altitude products continues to emerge, driving the continuous ascension of the industry's capability level. Tengden Technology's independently developed amphibious UAV completed test flights over small river basins. JOUAV Co., Ltd. launched a new multi-rotor unmanned UAV station, capable of fixed-point and vehicle-mounted mobile deployment. AVIC's hydrogen-powered UAV achieved a 30-hour-long endurance cross-day-night continuous flight, breaking domestic records. Aerofugia's flying car is poised to become China's first six-seat eVTOL product capable of carrying passengers.

UAVs Make Their Way into Everyday Life: Expanding Diverse Application Scenarios

In late April, Sichuan debuted its inaugural set of 10 low-altitude tourism routes, such as "Leshan Giant Buddha-Mount Emei", inviting travelers to discover the enchanting beauty of Sichuan "amidst the clouds". During the Labor Day holiday, the low-altitude cultural tourism program in Pengshan District, Meishan, executed more than 205 flights, with the "Rediscover Pengzu Mountain from Above" experience gaining immense popularity among tourists.

The growth of the low-altitude economy is spearheaded by application scenarios. After years of development, Sichuan now leads in domains like flight license training and weather modification. By tapping into and meeting market demands, various regions in Sichuan are actively exploring new applications for low-altitude flights. From short-haul transportation in general aviation to UAV-based logistics and delivery, the use of low-altitude flights in public services, and low-altitude cultural tourism and sports projects, these efforts are opening up new avenues for growth in the low-altitude economy.

By the end of last year, the province's first low-altitude passenger transport route, the "Dazhou-Liangping-Beichuan-Dazhou" air link, was officially opened. This route also represents the first inter-provincial (municipal) low-altitude passenger transport route in the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle, bolstering Dazhou's aspirations to become the "fourth city" in Sichuan's low-altitude economy.

Low-altitude freight transportation has an even broader scope of application. A UAV route has been established between the Comprehensive Bonded Zone of Chengdu International Railway Port and the ZTO Sorting Center in Xindu District. Covering a distance of 18 kilometers, this route reduces the overall cost by 40 percent and shortens the delivery time by 35 percent, with a flight duration of 20 minutes. In Hejiang County, Luzhou City, UAVs are now being used to lift and transport bamboo materials, making what was once an arduous task significantly easier. For a 200-meter linear distance, the use of UAVs for hoisting and transport significantly improves time efficiency by 40 to 60 times compared to conventional transportation methods, while also reducing the cost of transporting each ton of bamboo downhill by one-third. This year, Suining City launched its first UAV delivery route, connecting Sichuan Normal University's Suining Campus with Wanda Plaza. This route can transport approximately 50 delivery orders per trip, reducing the delivery time by more than half.

In the field of emergency management, last July, a sudden flash flood and debris flow disaster struck Hanyuan County, Ya'an City. In the critical moment when people were disconnected, roads were damaged, and communication was interrupted, emergency rescue UAVs were continuously deployed to scout the disaster area. They transmitted real-time data and high-definition images from the disaster frontlines to the emergency department, establishing an aerial lifeline. In the field of low-altitude sports, from January to April 2025, Chengdu City has seen over 45,000 sorties of low-altitude flights, encompassing aerial tours and skydiving, marking an 18.1% increase year-on-year.

Such new scenarios also include agricultural and forestry operations, ecological monitoring, power line de-icing, forest and grassland fire prevention and control, medical rescue, urban governance, and more. From "flying in the air" to "practical applications on the ground", these advancements are accelerating the rise of the low-altitude economy development hub in the western region.

In August this year, the 12th edition of The World Games (TWG) 2025 will be held in Chengdu. The six major low-altitude application scenarios, including low-altitude torch relay demonstrations, low-altitude emergency rescue and security, low-altitude intelligent security patrols, low-altitude event promotion services, low-altitude regional logistics transportation, and low-altitude interactive flight experiences, not only empower TWG but also showcase to the world the vibrant momentum of Sichuan's low-altitude economy.

Together, we set sail towards a trillion-level "new blue ocean", soaring into the future as one.