China's skies are increasingly becoming a testing ground for futuristic transport, with an unmanned, oval-shaped craft from flying taxi maker EHang now undergoing trials in Guangzhou. The vehicle, described as whirring noisily like a mini-helicopter, evokes scenes once confined to science fiction films, as it hovers over a riverside innovation zone.
This development is part of a burgeoning 'low-altitude economy' that is already impacting daily life in nearby Shenzhen. Here, food-delivery drones are a common sight and a novel attraction for tourists. Polish visitor Karolina Trzciańska experienced this firsthand, ordering bubble tea and lemon tea via drone. 'This is the first time I’m seeing something like this, so it was super fun to see the food being delivered by the drone,' she remarked after her drinks arrived through the drizzle.
Such ventures are expanding rapidly with significant government backing, though the sector faces hurdles including stringent airspace controls and battery limitations. In 2023, activities within airspace below 1,000 metres generated a business turnover of 506 billion yuan (£55 billion), representing 0.4 per cent of China’s economy. This figure is projected to soar to 3.5 trillion yuan (£380 billion) by 2035, according to Zhang Xiaolan, a researcher at the State Information Center.
Guangdong province, home to drone giant DJI with an estimated 70 per cent of the global commercial drone market, leads in development of the low-altitude economy, followed by wealthy eastern coastal provinces Jiangsu and Zhejiang, near Shanghai, according to a report by a research unit of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Peking University, and other institutions. Other big players in Guangdong include EHang, logistics company SF Express’s drone arm Phoenix Wings, and automaker XPENG’s flying car unit ARIDGE.
In October, Guangdong announced it plans to speed up construction of flight service stations and platforms to facilitate airspace operations and will support locally issued discount vouchers for low-altitude tourism. Its technology and financial hub Shenzhen has launched a 15-million-yuan ($2.1 million) award for companies that earn certifications required for passenger eVTOLs, short for 'electric vertical take-off and landing' vehicles that lift off the ground like helicopters, among other incentives. China’s Civil Aviation Administration has granted certificates allowing EHang to offer commercial passenger services with its pilotless eVTOL, a low-altitude aircraft that can reach speeds of 130 kph (81 mph) with a maximum range of 30 kilometers (19 miles).
EHang hasn’t launched commercial routes, but its vice president, He Tianxing, says it aims to start with aerial sightseeing services. The company has been building takeoff and landing sites in 20 Chinese cities over the past two years. He expects aircraft of various companies will be flying multiple routes, possibly after five years. He envisions eventual citywide networks using the rooftops of malls, schools and parks as terminals. 'It can’t just be a research product, nor an engineer’s toy,' he said. The biggest challenge for developing eVTOL aircraft is maintaining longer flights and overcoming battery capacity limitations, said Guo Liming, co-founder of Shenzhen-based Skyevtol, whose single-seat manned eVTOL aircraft, priced at around $100,000, can only fly 20 to 30 minutes before it must be charged.
