The imperative of constructing an unshakeable safety foundation emerged as the dominant theme at the 2025 Aerospace Information Conference, where industry leaders and experts converged to map the trajectory of China’s rapidly ascending Low-Altitude Economy. With market projections soaring into the trillions of yuan, the consensus was unequivocal: unlocking the vast potential of this sector hinges entirely on robust safety systems, integrated digital infrastructure, and cohesive regulatory frameworks.
Held on July 8th, the conference served as the launchpad for Zhongke Suntime (China Electronics Technology Group Corporation) to unveil its pioneering Low-Altitude Economy All-Domain Empowerment Platform. This comprehensive suite of five integrated products – encompassing planning, intelligent networking, flight services, military-civilian coordination, and unified flight management – represents a significant leap towards establishing the essential digital bedrock for the sector. The platform aims to deliver end-to-end solutions, from initial airspace design and safety assurance to coordinated oversight, operational services, and diverse application deployment.
“Safety is the non-negotiable prerequisite for the flourishing of the Low-Altitude Economy, a hallmark of new quality productive forces,” asserted Sun Jun, Dean of the Suntime Low-Altitude Cloud Research Institute, during his keynote address. He pinpointed the inherent challenge: fragmentation. “Low-altitude activities span multiple regulatory bodies – market supervision for drone manufacturing quality, industry and information technology for communication networks, public security for illegal flight enforcement. Our platform’s core mission is to break down these silos, creating a unified management system for the entire Low-Altitude Economy.”
The technological blueprint for securing this burgeoning sector relies heavily on cutting-edge computation and AI. Zhang Ruiqing, a seasoned expert in civil aviation management, outlined critical pathways. “Building the Low-Altitude Economy demands a digital foundation powered by supercomputing and AI,” he stated. Key priorities include:
- Creating Computable Airspace: Utilizing supercomputing for optimized route planning, collision avoidance warnings, and simulating scenarios for potentially millions of concurrent drones.
- Developing Autonomous Management Systems: Implementing dynamic airspace allocation, integrating the sector into national aerospace security strategies, and fortifying data security and communication resilience. Exploring blockchain for immutable flight data records is crucial.
- Standardizing Regulatory Frameworks: Actively participating in shaping global rules for the Low-Altitude Economy.
Zhongke Suntime’s strategy, articulated as “Strengthening the Sky via Space, Controlling the Sky via Computing,” leverages its strengths in space-earth information data and cloud computing power. The “1+2+N+M” roadmap focuses on constructing the foundational “Suntime Cloud,” establishing two dedicated low-altitude test fields, creating eight regional demonstration zones, and ultimately enabling countless (M) industry-specific applications.
Tang Deke, Chief Scientist at Zhongke Suntime, detailed how the Suntime Cloud underpins their offerings, including the self-developed Xingtung (StarPupil) large model. Three core product lines are driving application development:
- Low-Altitude Intelligent Agents: Lowering development barriers with pre-built algorithms for sectors like natural resource management, agriculture, water conservancy, urban planning, city management, and emergency response – all vital facets of the Low-Altitude Economy.
- Low-Altitude Digital Twin Base: Using AI to rapidly and cost-effectively generate compliant 3D urban models, stripped of sensitive geospatial data yet enabling precise spatial computation. “Data updates for an entire city can be achieved in an average of just three hours,” Tang revealed.
- Enhanced Meteorological Services: Provided by subsidiary Suntime Weitianxin, offering critical support through specialized low-altitude service platforms, intelligent weather sensing, and refined forecasting.
The market potential fueling this technological and regulatory drive is staggering. Lin Qiaomu, Vice President of Zhongke Suntime and General Manager of its Low-Altitude Economy Strategy Department, cited data indicating China’s Low-Altitude Economy reached approximately 500 billion yuan in total output value in 2024. “Projections indicate explosive growth, with the sector expected to hit 1.5 trillion yuan in 2025, breaking the trillion-yuan threshold, and potentially reaching 3.5 trillion yuan by 2027,” Lin stated. This anticipated hyper-growth underscores the urgency of addressing existing bottlenecks.
Sun Jun outlined critical challenges that must be overcome to fully unleash the Low-Altitude Economy:
- Clarifying Governance: Defining clear management authorities, methodologies, responsibilities, and accountabilities is paramount. A robust institutional system is non-negotiable.
- Accelerating Infrastructure: Continuous investment and R&D in communication, surveillance, and detection networks spanning from high altitudes to ground level are fundamental.
- Fostering Ecosystem Synergy: Integrating diverse technological resources across the value chain to create collaborative momentum is essential for cohesive industry advancement.
- Bridging the Talent Gap: The sector faces a critical shortage of expertise in product R&D, specialized industry management, and enterprise operations. Aggressive talent cultivation and recruitment strategies are vital intellectual capital for the Low-Altitude Economy.
Xiang Jinwu, Director of the Blue Sky Laboratory, highlighted the convergence of enabling technologies – drones, new energy propulsion, BeiDou navigation, 5G/6G communications, and AI – positioning China at the forefront of a “Smart Low-Altitude” era. However, the path forward is contingent on transforming the vision articulated in Hefei into tangible, secure, and scalable realities.
The message resonating from the conference halls was clear: China’s Low-Altitude Economy stands poised for unprecedented expansion, potentially reshaping logistics, transportation, emergency services, agriculture, and urban management. Yet, this potential remains intrinsically linked to the nation’s ability to construct an impregnable, digitally-driven safety foundation, harmonize complex regulations, and nurture the human capital required to navigate this new frontier. The trillion-yuan future of the Low-Altitude Economy is within sight, but its realization depends entirely on the robustness of the systems being built today. The race to secure the skies below is not just about technology; it’s about laying the groundwork for an entirely new economic dimension.