Published on: 2026-04-18
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –
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Beijing, April 18 /Xinhua/ — China is rapidly advancing the development of low-altitude aviation from the pilot project stage to large-scale commercial application. This is evidenced by the results of the industry conference on the development of the low-altitude industry in 2026, recently held on Hailing Island in the city of Zhuhai, Guangdong Province /South China/, which was attended by more than 400 representatives from government agencies, local governments, enterprises, and higher education institutions.
The main event of the forum was the presentation of the Chinese cargo electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drone AR-E800, developed in-house. As a result of the meeting, the company “Changhe” under the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) received 50 confirmed orders and signed 110 preliminary agreements for the supply of the devices. It should be noted that currently the total volume of signed contracts for the AR-E800 model has exceeded 400 units, confirming the high commercial demand for a low-altitude technology of domestic production.
The AR-E800 is designed for transporting cargo weighing no more than 320 kg over distances up to 40 km. The device is capable of operating stably at altitudes up to 4,800 meters and in wind gusts up to 7 points (Beaufort scale), which allows its use in mountainous, coastal, and hard-to-reach areas. According to the developers, compared to conventional helicopters, the AR-E800 is distinguished by a lower operational cost and a higher cargo delivery speed.
In addition to the flagship model, five more promising low-altitude technology prototypes were presented at the conference: a multipurpose civil helicopter AC332 with a payload capacity of 4 tons, a civil piloted airship AS700, and unmanned aviation systems for cargo transportation. Some of them have already received certification and are being used in practice, others are completing the final stages of certification and will soon be launched into serial production, which will complement the line of commercial low-altitude technology in China.
Experts note that in China a multi-variant structure of low-altitude aviation technology has formed, characterized by the parallel development of numerous technological directions — from airplanes with fixed wings and rotary-wing aircraft to unmanned and piloted aerial vehicles, as well as from traditional power units to new energy systems. According to the Chinese business information platform “Tianyancha”, by the end of 2025, China had more than 36 thousand active enterprises in the field of unmanned aviation, of which more than 7,400 are located in Guangdong province.
Based on the established industrial base, China is actively expanding the commercial application of low-altitude technology, building a unified national transportation system and an extensive network of air routes. In the city of Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, regular passenger flights using electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft have already been launched; in Guangzhou and Shanghai, drones deliver medicines and perishable goods in just 15-20 minutes. In mountainous and hard-to-reach areas, heavy drones solve the “last kilometer” problem in logistics, increasing the availability of goods for the local population.In addition, low-altitude technology is widely used in emergency situations — in fighting forest fires, conducting rescue operations, and emergency medical evacuations.
With the accelerated development of the industry, special attention is paid to flight safety. “Safety is the lifeline of the entire low-altitude flight economy,” emphasized AVIC leading technical expert Wu Simin. According to him, simultaneously with the growth of commercial application, it is necessary to create an integrated control system, ensure the compliance of all technologies with national safety standards, and establish continuous management at all stages of aircraft operation.
A large-scale reform of airspace regulation, which removes key administrative barriers for commercial flights, contributes to the stable and safe development of the industry. Starting from July 1, 2026, the revised Civil Aviation Law of the PRC will come into effect, according to which flights at altitudes up to 120 meters will be carried out in a simple notification procedure without complex coordination, and the approval period for flights at altitudes of 120-300 meters will be reduced to 2 hours. Such measures create stable legal conditions for the large-scale launch of commercial projects and the everyday use of low-altitude technology.
Regulatory reforms and the development of the technical base have ensured rapid growth of the low-altitude aviation market in China. According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China, by 2025, the total market volume of this industry will reach 1.5 trillion yuan (approximately 220 billion USD), and the total volume of annual orders for eVTOL aircraft has exceeded 300 billion yuan. The application areas of the technology are constantly expanding, covering logistics, agriculture, environmental monitoring, the medical sector, and emergency situations, becoming a new driver of economic growth. -0-
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