Online Gallery | China's low-altitude economy enters fast growth phase-Xinhua

BEIJING, May 19 (Xinhua) -- China is positioning the low-altitude economy as a key engine for high-quality growth, with the country's 15th Five-Year Plan outlining the need to promote its sound and orderly development.

According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the market size of the low-altitude economy is expected to reach 3.5 trillion yuan by 2035.

Via the rapid advancement of digital technologies and smart equipment, China's low-altitude economy is entering a period of fast growth. Across the country, innovation is driving the integration of low-altitude technologies with sectors such as logistics, agriculture and cultural tourism, creating new economic opportunities.

TRANSFORM DAILY DELIVERIES

Drones are transforming logistics. Drone delivery overcomes ground transportation limits to achieve precise and efficient service. As its demand is surging, the drone delivery routes have been launched in complex urban environments as well as hilly regions.

Take Shenzhen for example, it has opened a total of 310 low-altitude logistics routes, with 82 new routes added in 2025. Official data published shows that Shenzhen has built more than 1,200 low-altitude takeoff and landing facilities as the city accelerates the development of its low-altitude economy.

People watch a drone delivering takeout food at a drone takeoff point of Meituan, a major online lifestyle platform in China, in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, May 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)

This photo taken on May 6, 2026 shows a drone delivering takeout food in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)

A tourist waits for takeout food delivered by a drone in front of a pickup kiosk in Shenzhen Talent Park in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, April 1, 2026. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)

People watch a demonstration flight of Smart Drone's ultra light eVTOL on a street in Huaqiangbei of Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, May 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)

ADVANCE PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY

The application of drones has emerged as a standout highlight during the farming work across China. The ancient rhythm of manual farming has been replaced by the whir of drones. Plant protection drones have worked in multiple farmlands and carried out low-altitude pesticide spraying, boosting production efficiency compared with traditional farming methods.

A drone photo shows plant protection drones conducting spraying operations in the wheat fields of Houshuangqiu Village of Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, May 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

Staff carry a plant protection drone to make preparations for the spraying in Dachang Town, West Coast New Area of Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, April 28, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

A plant protection drone demonstrates spraying operations in a field in Jimo District of Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, March 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

A drone conducts plant protection operations at a plantation in Maoxian County, southwest China's Sichuan Province, March 31, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Xi)

A plant protection drone conducts spraying operations in Wenchong Town of Quxian County, Dazhou City of southwest China's Sichuan Province, March 10, 2026. (Photo by Deng Liangkui/Xinhua)

A drone is about to transport freshly picked tea leaves from high mountain tea gardens to the foot of the mountain at Xinming Township of Huangshan District in Huangshan City, east China's Anhui Province, April 24, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Duan)

Trainees learn agricultural drone flight operations at a tea cultivation base in Baicha Village, Yundong Town, Duyun City, Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province, April 17, 2026. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

BOOST LOW-ALTITUDE TOURISM

Following in the footsteps of "Citywalk," "Cityfly" -- which ranges from paragliding and skydiving to scenic helicopter rides -- is fast becoming a buzzword among young Chinese travelers. Travel has been transformed from a two-dimensional to a three-dimensional experience and low-altitude tourism has bridged the gap in this market. And the rise in aerial tourism's popularity is attributed to China's fast-developing low-altitude economy, which has reduced flight costs and sparked public enthusiasm for flying experiences.