On January 19, 2026, at the press conference of the Beijing State Council Information Office, Kang Yi, Director of the National Bureau of Statistics, described the booming trend of China's low altitude economy in 2025 as "soaring high with wings". At this press conference on the operation of the national economy, a set of key data attracted attention: by 2025, the production of civilian drones will increase by 37.3% year-on-year, and the added value of high-tech manufacturing will increase by 9.4%, both far exceeding the overall growth rate of 6.6% for industries above designated size. Kangyi ranks low altitude economy alongside embodied intelligence as a typical representative of the "industry gathering momentum towards new forces" in the field of new quality productivity.

How has the low altitude economy become a new engine for China's economic growth? Behind it is a complete development path from technological breakthroughs, policy layout to scenario implementation.

Flying from the laboratory to the industrial blue ocean

The story of low altitude economy begins with technological breakthroughs. In 2025, China's original unmanned aerial vehicle "Nine Days" successfully made its maiden flight, becoming a landmark event in the industry. This type of hardcore technology supports the rapid growth of the industry: by 2025, the market size of the low altitude economy has reached 1.5 trillion yuan, and it is expected to exceed 3.5 trillion yuan by 2030. Kangyi emphasized at the press conference that China has formed a complete industry chain from raw materials and components to complete machine manufacturing and application services, occupying a global leading position in the consumer drone market and rapidly expanding into industrial and professional fields.

At the policy level, favorable policies are constantly being released. In March 2024, the low altitude economy was first included in the government work report and positioned as a "new growth engine"; On July 1, 2025, China's first comprehensive administrative regulation on unmanned aerial vehicles will be officially implemented, laying the foundation for the standardized development of the industry. At present, more than 20 provinces across the country have included low altitude economy in their development plans and are competing to lay out this emerging industry track.

Infrastructure construction and scene progress simultaneously

With the widespread application of drones, supporting infrastructure is rapidly expanding. Various regions are actively building ground support systems such as general airports, take-off and landing sites, and communication and navigation systems, gradually forming a networked support system. At the same time, intelligent networking technology has become an important pillar of low altitude economic development, achieving real-time collaboration between aircraft and airspace management.

The expansion of application scenarios is particularly rapid. In the field of logistics, the estimated number of drone delivery flights in China is expected to exceed 2 million by 2025, significantly improving the efficiency of instant delivery in cities; In the field of agriculture, drone fertilization and spraying have become the norm; Scenes such as low altitude tourism, emergency rescue, and power inspections continue to deepen. Market enthusiasm is high: by 2025, the number of newly registered enterprises in the low altitude economy sector will increase by over 50% year-on-year, and the influx of capital will significantly accelerate.

From 'flapping wings' to' soaring high '

The low altitude economy is no longer limited to aircraft manufacturing, but a comprehensive industry that integrates high-end manufacturing, artificial intelligence, communication and navigation, new materials and other fields. Kang Yi pointed out that China has already taken a favorable position in this emerging track, and the general aviation network that various regions are competing to lay out is becoming increasingly dense. Keywords: New infrastructure news, low altitude economy

In 2026, with the improvement of regulations, the implementation of infrastructure, and technological iteration, the low altitude economy will enter a new stage of large-scale application. The production of drones has grown by nearly 40%, and with the formation of a trillion dollar market ecosystem in the future, China Sky is becoming a new dimension of economic development.Editor/Yang Meiling