The first low-altitude island logistics route in Northern China was recently launched in Qingdao, in which a drone can make a 18-kilometer voyage in just 10 minutes to deliver goods. It marks a new breakthrough in the land-island logistics delivery, and epitomizes Qingdao’s accelerated efforts to expand low-altitude flight scenarios. Reportedly, Qingdao’s low-altitude economy has been gaining momentum since the beginning of last year. The first low-altitude logistics route in Northern China, the first intracity ferry route in Northern China and China’s earliest pilot program for intelligent routing inspection featuring “drones+AI” were put into operation or materialized in Qingdao.

Low-altitude economy ranks among the five emerging industries in the “10+1” innovation-oriented industrial system that Qingdao plans to develop. According to development planning, with focus on air vehicle manufacturing and low-altitude flight services, Qingdao will prioritize developing such niche segments as industrial drones, electric Vertical Take-off and Landing, and low-altitude flight service systems, to expand low-altitude flight scenarios. Qingdao will strive to generate an output of up to RMB 23 bln in low-altitude economy by 2027, and move faster to build a demonstration area for low-altitude economy which is based on Shandong Peninsula but can extend to other places of the country and reach out to the world.

(Zhou Jianliang/ Wang Kai)

A drone flying from Jimiya Wharf in Qingdao West Coast New Area prepares to land at Lingshan Island.)