Guangzhou's low-altitude economy is gaining momentum. In September 2024, EHang and XPENG AEROHT's eVTOLs (electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft) successfully flew over Guangzhou's CBD, marking the launch of commercial passenger applications. The city plans to build a citywide low-altitude transportation network, with initial hubs at the Canton Tower and Haixinsha Island. The policies support by providing a subsidy on passenger routes up to one million yuan per route annually.
On March 28th, EHang General Aviation Co Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of EHang Holdings Ltd (EHang), and its joint venture partner HeYi Aviation Co Ltd, obtained the first batch of Operational Certificates (OC) for Civil Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). This milestone officially ushers Guangzhou and Hefei into the era of low-altitude passenger transport, enabling residents to experience low-altitude sightseeing and commuting services in the near future.
EHang's founder, Hu Huazhi, entered the intelligent drone R&D sector in 2013 and established the company in Guangzhou's Huangpu District in 2014. In 2016, EHang debuted the world's first autonomous passenger-carrying UAV, the EHang 184, at the Consumer Electronics Show in the U.S., and became the first urban air mobility company to list on Nasdaq in 2019. Hu stated, "My lifelong vision is to truly conquer the skies for humanity, making flight safer and more accessible than ever before."
Huangpu District, where EHang is headquartered, is rapidly building a low-altitude economy hub, now home to 50 companies spanning R&D, manufacturing, and application sectors, with total industry output reaching 13 billion yuan. In 2023, the district introduced "Ten Measures for Low-Altitude Economy", establishing a 10-billion-yuan investment fund for low-altitude industry, planning a 5.2-square-kilometer low-altitude industrial park, and offering up to 30 million yuan in subsidies for qualified projects.
In October this year, XPENG AEROHT will break ground in Huangpu on the world's first assembly line for mass production of flying cars, with an annual capacity of 10,000 units, backed by a 1.26 billion yuan syndicated loan. Meanwhile, XAG, a leader in agricultural drones, continues to advance smart farming solutions.
Source: Lingnan on the Cloud
坐拥多个“全球首个”，广州低空经济为何发展如此迅猛？
3月28日，亿航智能旗下全资子公司亿航通航及其合资运营公司合翼航空，获得中国民航局（CAAC）颁发的全国首批载人类民用无人驾驶航空器运营合格证（OC）。这标志着广州与合肥正式迈入低空经济“载人时代”，市民未来可在两地体验低空观光与通勤服务。
亿航智能创始人胡华智自2013年进入智能无人机研发领域，并于2014年在广州黄埔创立亿航智能。2016年，公司在美国CES展上发布全球首款无人驾驶载人航空器亿航184，并于2019年在纳斯达克上市，成为全球首家城市空中交通行业上市公司。胡华智表示：“让人类真正征服天空，让飞行变得前所未有的安全、便捷，是我毕生追求的梦想。”
亿航智能所位于的广州黄埔区正加速打造低空经济产业高地，聚集50家低空企业，涵盖研发、制造、应用等环节，总产业规模达130亿元。2023年，黄埔区发布“低空10条”，设立100亿元低空产业创投基金，规划5.2平方公里低空产业园，并对符合条件的低空产业项目提供最高3000万元奖补。
今年10月，小鹏汇天将在黄埔区动工建设全球首个飞行汽车流水线量产工厂，预计年产能达1万辆，并已获得12.6亿元银团贷款支持。此外，极飞科技在农业无人机领域持续发力，为农业生产提供高效智能化解决方案。
广州低空经济规模化效应正在显现。2024年9月，亿航智能与小鹏汇天的eVTOL成功飞越广州CBD，标志着广州低空载人应用场景正式起步。广州计划构建覆盖全市的低空起降网络，首批起降枢纽点为广州塔和海心沙，并推出政策支持低空载人航线运营，单条航线年度最高补助100万元。
文 | 记者 严锦程
译 | 钟佳
英文审校 | 王枥焓
