National Business Daily (NBD)'s Think Tank and Urban Evolution columns, together with Firestone Creation, jointly released a list of the Top 50 Cities in "Linkage" Index for the Low-Altitude Economy. The ranking evaluated nearly 300 cities based on four dimensions—enterprise concentration, capital activity, innovation agglomeration, and environmental friendliness. Changsha and Zhuzhou cities both made the list, ranking 25th and 36th respectively.
Hunan is China's first pilot province for low-altitude airspace management reform. Changsha, as its capital city, boasts an industrial chain covering multiple sectors such as research and development of aircrafts, construction and operation of the low-altitude aviation infrastructure, and flight services and guarantee. At present, Changsha has rolled out a strategic layout featuring "one core, two wings, and multiple parks." Specifically, Changsha will set up a national-level low-altitude economy demonstration zone with the Huanghua International Airport as the core; build southern and northern "wing" industrial belts relying on the Kaihui General Aviation Airport and the Ningxiang General Aviation Airport; and, construct five industrial parks including the Sunward Intelligent Industrial Park and the Boyun New Materials Innovation Industrial Park.
Leveraging its profound foundation of aviation industry, Zhuzhou has opened a new arena in the low-altitude economy, joined by over 120 aerospace and aviation enterprises such as Starair Aircraft and Xiangwei General Aviation. Zhuzhou's small and medium-sized aero-engine sector is among China's first batch of advanced manufacturing clusters, while its Lusong Airport ranking first in Hunan and among the forefront nationwide in general aviation operation capability. Zhuzhou is now accelerating its pace in expanding application scenarios, including sightseeing, urban security, medical rescue, emergency response, agricultural plant and forestry protection, and power inspections, further broadening the growth potential of the low-altitude economy.
In recent years, Hunan has carried out a variety of pragmatic measures to advance large-scale development of the low-altitude economy. In June last year, the province rolled out 12 supportive policies, including enhancing subsidies for traditional general aviation operations and support for new aircraft operations, expanding application scenarios, and attracting low-altitude aviation enterprises. These efforts aim to transform "policy momentum" into "tangible industrial advancement."
This article is from the Hunan Provincial Government www.enghunan.gov.cn.
Translator: Pang Yuehui
Chinese source: hunantoday
