Shanghai is taking flight with an ambitious plan to become a global leader in low-altitude aviation. Dubbed the ‘City of the Sky,’ the project aims to establish a comprehensive low-altitude industry with a projected core industrial value exceeding 50 billion yuan (approximately $7 billion) by 2027.
The city’s vision is to create a thriving hub for low-altitude economic innovation, commercial applications, and operational services. To achieve this, Shanghai plans to develop a fully integrated industrial system by 2027, encompassing research, development, design, assembly, manufacturing, airworthiness testing, and commercial deployment of new low-altitude aircraft.
This ambitious initiative is outlined in an action plan for the high-quality growth of the low-altitude economic sector between 2024 and 2027, released by the Shanghai municipal government on August 16. Shanghai will leverage its leadership position in low-altitude economic innovation and development to expand the core industrial value of the sector to 50 billion yuan by 2027.
The plan also emphasizes cooperation with cities across the Yangtze River Delta region to establish the nation’s first batch of cities with accessible low-altitude aviation. This collaboration will establish a national low-altitude economic industry demonstration area, propelling Shanghai towards becoming a city of the sky with international influence at an accelerated pace.
To foster industry growth, Shanghai will provide support to nurture industrial leaders engaged in low-altitude related businesses, including electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, industrial unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and new energy powered general aviation aircraft research, development, and manufacturing.
The action plan highlights a commitment to developing iconic products with continuous breakthroughs, improving infrastructure facilities, enriching commercial applications, and providing comprehensive support to facilitate the realization of the ‘City of the Sky’ vision.
