HONG KONG — Guangzhou will invest more than 10 billion yuan ($1.4 billion) by 2027 in the “low-altitude economy” — services that operate in airspace well below regular commercial aviation — as the Chinese government seeks new engines to speed up sluggish growth.
The nascent sector includes both piloted and autonomous civilian aircraft that fly at altitudes up to 3,000 meters, versus around 10,000 meters for commercial jetliners. The money for Guangzhou’s plan will go toward building infrastructure for flying vehicles, such as airborne taxis, including over 100 takeoff and landing points. A general aviation aerodrome with a runway — shorter than those at civil airports — is also planned.