A helicopter at the Yanzi Lake International Convention and Exhibition Center in Pingshan District. Photos from Pingshan Media Center

Shenzhen’s recent measures and regulations to support the low-altitude economy are shaping a new era for the burgeoning industry. By the end of 2023, over 1,300 passengers had taken 270 helicopter trips on four routes in Pingshan, with a peak of 21 flights in a single day.

A helicopter trip from the Yanzi Lake International Convention and Exhibition Center to Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport takes only 16 minutes, and to central Futian, only 13 minutes, while by ground vehicles, it usually takes 90 minutes and 60 minutes, respectively. Additionally, citizens can also take helicopters for sightseeing tours within Pingshan and from Yanzi Lake to Dameisha and Xiaomeisha.

The helipad at the Yanzi Lake International Convention and Exhibition Center.

Since helicopter services were launched in Pingshan in March 2023, helicopter trips have become a new efficient travel option for businesspeople and citizens. “Our company is a biopharmaceutical startup in Pingshan. We often invite experts and clients to visit our company. Taking a helicopter from the airport to Pingshan has greatly saved our time and enhanced our business opportunities,” said Li Xiaozheng, associate professor at Shenzhen University and co-founder of Junchangyi Biotechnology Co. Ltd.

Pingshan is the first in the city to roll out a subsidy policy for fixed helicopter routes, encouraging people to take helicopter rides. For companies that received outstanding contribution awards in the previous year, they are rewarded with helicopter charter vouchers.

Shenzhen’s recent low-altitude economy regulations, scheduled to take effect Feb. 1, emphasize the growing landscape of low-altitude flight applications, ranging from aerial commuting to flying taxis and express deliveries.

A helicopter in Shenzhen.

In addition to launching business and sightseeing flights, Pingshan also focuses on the R&D and manufacturing of industrial drones and eVTOLs. The district is building the manufacturing clusters of perception systems and lightweight materials, and the producer service clusters of the inspection and testing, and low-altitude flight operations.

Pingshan is actively luring enterprises of core components such as flight control systems, main control chips, core sensors, and cameras, and supports the development of Shenzhen Technology University’s unmanned aerial vehicle testing public service platform (the low-altitude economy innovation research center).

Pingshan will continue its collaboration with top companies in the low-altitude economy, such as Heli-Eastern, to expand helicopter routes within and between cities, gradually building a comprehensive low-altitude travel service network. The district will also expand low-altitude drone testing capabilities to provide various services, such as inspection, testing and flight certification, for drones and eVTOLs.