China's civil aviation regulator sets up low-altitude safety department

People watch a demonstration flight of Smart Drone's ultra light eVTOL on a street in Huaqiangbei of Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, May 2, 2026. (Xinhua/Mao Siqian)

BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has established a low-altitude safety department, as the country steps up efforts to foster the low-altitude economy.

The new department is responsible for formulating development plans for low-altitude civil aviation, coordinating low-altitude safety and development, and building low-altitude flight service dispatch platforms and flight service station systems, according to the CAAC.

The move came as China has intensified efforts to tap the low-altitude economy, which refers to the economic activities and industries centered around manned and unmanned aerial vehicles operating in the airspace usually within 1,000 meters above the ground.

In December 2024, China's National Development and Reform Commission established a department dedicated to the low-altitude economy to formulate and organize the implementation of strategic as well as mid-term and long-term development plans, provide policy recommendations, and coordinate major issues related to the sector.

The country's low-altitude economy has seen rapid growth in recent years. Its market size is expected to exceed 3.5 trillion yuan (about 511 billion U.S. dollars) by 2035, according to the CAAC.