. How China Is Introducing Developing Countries to the Low-Altitude Economy
Two-week seminar at Suzhou University of Science and Technology, sponsored by China’s Ministry of Commerce, brings together international participants for lessons in Low-Altitude Economy, focusing on drone technology, aviation infrastructure, urban management, disaster response and industrial development. Tokunbo Adedoja, who was among the participants, reports
As drones, unmanned aircraft and emerging electric flying vehicles reshape the future of transportation, logistics and emergency services, 39 participants from seven countries gathered in Suzhou, China, for a two-week seminar examining how the low-altitude economy can support development in their home countries.
Held from September 10 to 23, 2026, at Suzhou University of Science and Technology, the Seminar on Low-Altitude Economy for Developing Countries brought together participants from Nigeria, Jordan, Egypt, Uganda, Tanzania, Uzbekistan and Suriname, representing Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and South America.
The programme combined classroom instruction, case studies, cultural experiences and technical visits to industrial facilities and demonstration sites. Its central focus was how developing countries could learn from China’s experience in building the infrastructure, technologies, regulatory systems and industrial capacity needed to support the growing use of low-altitude airspace.
Across nine class teachings, a case study, five cultural experiences and seven study visits, participants examined an emerging sector that extends beyond aircraft manufacturing to encompass digital flight management, urban mobility, drone delivery, environmental monitoring, disaster response and other applications. The seminar provided an opportunity to explore China’s approach to the industry while considering the infrastructure, investment, regulatory and skills-development requirements for adapting relevant practices to different national circumstances.
Suzhou’s Growing Low-Altitude Economy
One of the seminar’s central themes was Suzhou’s emergence as a major centre for low-altitude economic activity. During a presentation on the city’s industrial development, Professor Cai Xinjiang, Vice Dean of Suzhou University of Science and Technology’s School of Civil Engineering, said Suzhou had attracted more than 500 enterprises in the sector, with its industrial scale exceeding 50 billion yuan.
The city’s ecosystem spans aircraft manufacturing, drone operations, aviation infrastructure, research and development and supporting services. Applications include industrial transportation, aerial inspections, emergency rescue, urban management, agricultural operations and tourism.
The presentation illustrated how drone technology is already being integrated into industrial processes. At a Suzhou factory operated by Luxshare Precision, seven drone transportation routes have been established to move materials within the facility. According to the presentation, the aerial deliveries take about five minutes, improve transportation efficiency by more than 50 per cent and reduce overall logistics costs by approximately 60 per cent.
Other examples included drone delivery operations by JD Logistics in Kunshan and the use of unmanned aircraft to monitor rivers, inspect roads and green spaces, and support environmental protection. These applications demonstrate how the low-altitude economy can develop from practical industrial needs, rather than relying exclusively on future passenger-carrying aircraft.
The presentation also outlined Suzhou’s ambitions to expand its industrial capacity, airspace infrastructure and network of take-off and landing facilities. By the end of 2025, the city had secured approval for 63 blocks of airspace covering 2,442 square kilometres and built 344 low-altitude take-off and landing sites, according to the figures presented.
Such infrastructure is essential to the industry’s expansion, but it also raises questions about airspace coordination, flight safety, privacy, noise, battery performance and the commercial viability of emerging services.
Building The Systems Behind The Aircraft
Beyond manufacturing and applications, participants explored the digital systems required to manage increasingly busy low-altitude airspace.
Zhang Wei, a senior engineer and chief data officer at Suzhou Low-Altitude Technology Co. Ltd., presented China’s approach to an intelligent connected system for low-altitude services and supervision.
The model, described as “1 Platform + 1 Service Center + N Facilities,” integrates a central digital platform, a flight service centre and multiple supporting facilities. Together, these components are designed to connect government agencies, regulators and flight operators while coordinating flight information, weather services, airspace management and safety monitoring.
The system can support checks before take-off, aircraft tracking during flight and the review of flight records afterwards. Radar, radio-frequency sensors, cameras and other technologies can also help detect unauthorised drone activity.
The presentation examined how such systems could support applications ranging from agriculture and power-line inspection to logistics, tourism and emergency rescue. It also identified challenges that extend beyond individual cities, including fragmented international standards, the cost of safety certification, differences in national aviation laws and the need for sustainable business models.
For developing countries considering similar systems, the experience highlighted the importance of establishing clear institutional responsibilities and coordinating digital infrastructure with aviation regulation.
Infrastructure, Innovation And Regulation
Infrastructure development was another major focus of the seminar.
A presentation on China’s low-altitude economy infrastructure examined the role of landing facilities, communications networks, navigation systems, flight management platforms and other supporting services in enabling commercial operations.
The discussions emphasised that aircraft alone cannot sustain a functioning low-altitude economy. Operators also need reliable communications, suitable landing sites, maintenance services, trained personnel and systems for managing flight permissions and emergencies.
Participants also examined the role of public policy in supporting industry development while maintaining safety.
In a presentation on China’s low-altitude economy policies and regulations, Wang Anna, a law lecturer at Suzhou University of Science and Technology’s School of Civil Engineering, traced the evolution of the country’s regulatory approach, from strict controls in the earlier decades to more comprehensive industrial development and safety governance in recent years.
The presentation discussed aircraft registration, airworthiness, pilot qualifications, commercial operations, flight approvals and digital monitoring. It also highlighted the need to protect personal information, geographic data and commercial information as flight-management systems become more sophisticated.
China’s experience, as presented during the seminar, points to the importance of balancing industrial innovation with clear rules, risk-based oversight and effective coordination among government departments.
The sessions also explored proposals in other Chinese cities, including Zhuji in Zhejiang Province, where planned investments of more than 10 billion yuan would support drone logistics, aviation infrastructure, aircraft manufacturing, emergency rescue and related services.
The proposed network includes 65 flight routes, ranging from connections with neighbouring economic centres to routes serving towns and villages. The presentation set targets for the phased development of the network through 2035, although the investments and routes remain plans rather than evidence that all projects have been completed.
The case illustrated how cities can align industrial development with transportation, logistics and regional connectivity objectives.
Lighter Aircraft And New Manufacturing Technologies
The seminar also examined the engineering advances that could make low-altitude aircraft more practical and affordable.
In a lecture on lightweight aircraft technology, Professor Wang Lei of Suzhou University of Science and Technology’s School of Mechanical Engineering explained how advanced materials, manufacturing techniques and computer-aided design could reduce aircraft weight, extend range and lower operating costs.
According to the presentation, a 10 per cent reduction in aircraft weight could increase range by approximately 3.5 to 6 per cent.
The lecture highlighted composite materials, magnesium alloys, additive manufacturing and optimised structural design as important approaches to lightweight engineering. Examples included carbon-fibre aircraft structures, an all-magnesium cargo drone and electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft. The presentation also discussed the use of three-dimensional printing and computer-based structural optimisation to reduce the weight of selected drone components.
These technologies could be particularly relevant to countries seeking to use drones for transporting medical supplies, agricultural products and emergency relief to communities that are difficult to reach by conventional transport.
However, the lecture also identified significant barriers, including the cost of advanced materials, limited industrial supply chains, dependence on specialised equipment, differences in airworthiness certification and the need for materials capable of withstanding extreme heat, humidity and high-altitude conditions.
For developing countries, the challenge is therefore not simply to acquire lighter aircraft, but to build the technical, manufacturing and regulatory capacity needed to operate them safely and sustainably.
Drones For Disaster Response And Urban Management
The seminar’s case teaching explored how low-altitude technology could strengthen disaster preparedness, emergency response and recovery.
A presentation by Chinese academic Xiang Yin, titled “Low-Altitude Economy Empowering Disaster Emergency Governance: Global Experience and Applications in Multi-Hazard Scenarios,” examined the potential use of drones, helicopters and electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft in responding to earthquakes, floods, typhoons and wildfires.
Drones can provide aerial surveillance, map affected areas, assess infrastructure damage and deliver essential supplies where roads are blocked or ground access is dangerous. In wildfire management, for example, drones can help map fire boundaries, monitor the direction of fire spread and generate three-dimensional models to support decisions by emergency commanders. Specialised systems can also assist with firefighting in difficult terrain.
The presentation stressed that technology must be integrated into a wider emergency-management framework covering mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery and reconstruction. Reliable communications, autonomous flight, obstacle detection, route planning, battery performance and coordinated airspace management were identified as important requirements for effective deployment.
The wider lesson was that the value of drones in emergencies depends not only on their technical capabilities, but also on the systems, personnel and institutions responsible for using them.
Another class examined the application of remote sensing technology to urban management.
Chen Chao of Suzhou University of Science and Technology’s School of Geography Science and Geomatics Engineering explained how satellite imagery, aircraft, drones and other sensors can help authorities monitor urban expansion, identify changes in land use, assess environmental conditions and support planning enforcement.
When integrated with geographic information systems, satellite navigation and artificial intelligence, remote sensing can provide information that helps city authorities make more informed decisions. The presentation discussed applications ranging from monitoring unauthorised construction to assessing damage caused by floods, landslides and other disasters.
For rapidly urbanising developing countries, these tools could offer additional ways to monitor infrastructure, protect environmental resources and identify emerging problems before they become more difficult to manage.
Learning From China’s Devt Experience
The low-altitude economy sessions were complemented by a broader discussion of China’s development experience.
The opening academic presentation, “Brief Introduction to China’s National Conditions,” by Zhao Baocheng，a professor and Party Committee Secretary of the Suzhou Technology University, examined the country’s economic transformation, infrastructure expansion, poverty reduction, public services and international cooperation.
It highlighted long-term planning, technological innovation, investment in infrastructure, human-capital development and improvements in public welfare as elements of China’s development experience that other countries could study.
The presentation cited China’s expansion of transport infrastructure, efforts to reduce rural poverty and investment in education and healthcare as examples of coordinated development policies. It also emphasised that countries should adapt lessons to their own economic structures, institutions, cultures and development priorities rather than simply replicate another country’s model.
A separate presentation by Professor Bo Wen on the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind called for stronger international cooperation to address global challenges, including conflict, climate change, food and energy insecurity, public health emergencies and the ethical implications of artificial intelligence.
Together, these discussions placed the low-altitude economy within a broader development context: technology can support economic growth, but its benefits depend on effective governance, appropriate policies, investment in people and cooperation across borders.
Study Visits And Cultural Exchange
The seminar extended beyond the classroom through seven study visits designed to expose participants to China’s industrial facilities, low-altitude infrastructure and technology demonstration projects.
In Suzhou, the delegation visited low-altitude economy facilities in Xiangcheng District, the Suzhou Low-Altitude Economy Development Exhibition Hall at the Suzhou Low-altitude Economy Industrial Park, and Suzhou Aviation Industry Development Group Co. Ltd.
Participants also visited Sinlion Power Co. Ltd., a lithium-battery manufacturer, to examine a key component of the technology supporting electric and unmanned aircraft. At Shengze Lake Full-space Unmanned System Demonstration Island in Xiangcheng District, they explored planning and infrastructure for unmanned systems operating across different environments, including township areas.
The programme also included visits to Shanghai Pudong Software Park’s Low-altitude Exhibition Hall to learn about low-altitude equipment and to the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum.
These visits offered opportunities to connect classroom discussions with industrial applications, infrastructure planning and technology development.
Cultural experiences formed another part of the programme, introducing participants to Suzhou’s history, architecture and urban development.
At the West Hall of Suzhou Museum, they explored the city’s historical and cultural heritage. A visit to Pingjiang Road in Gusu District provided an opportunity to experience the traditional architecture and folk customs associated with Wu-style residences.
At the Imperial Kiln Brick Museum in Xiangcheng District, participants learned about the traditional craft of imperial kiln brickmaking, an example of the region’s intangible cultural heritage.
The cultural programme also offered participants an opportunity to encounter China’s wildlife conservation efforts. At Suzhou Taihu National Wetland Park, the delegation visited Mengxun and Aoboa, two giant pandas that arrived in Suzhou a year earlier. The visit provided a memorable opportunity to learn about one of China’s most recognisable animal species while adding a wildlife experience to the seminar’s broader exploration of the country’s natural and cultural heritage. The excursion complemented visits to Suzhou’s museums, historic districts and urban landmarks, offering participants a more rounded perspective on the region beyond its technological and industrial achievements.
Visits to Suzhou Center and the Suzhou Industrial Park Exhibition Center provided further perspectives on the city’s urban construction and development. The combination of industrial and cultural activities presented Suzhou not only as a centre for technological innovation, but also as a city whose development is shaped by its history, environment and cultural identity.
A University Connecting Research With Industry
The seminar was hosted by Suzhou University of Science and Technology, a public institution with a strong engineering focus and a broad portfolio of disciplines.
Established through the merger of the former Suzhou Institute of Urban Construction and Environmental Protection and Suzhou Railway Teachers College, the university has developed strengths in civil engineering, environmental science and engineering, and urban and rural planning.
Its academic programmes also cover science, management, the arts and other fields. The institution operates three campuses -Shihu, Jiangfeng and Tianping – and serves more than 23,000 full-time undergraduate students and over 3,800 postgraduate students, according to its institutional profile.
The university’s research priorities include ecological civilisation, rural revitalisation, regional integration and industrial development. Its work in engineering, environmental monitoring, urban planning and related fields provides an academic context for discussions on low-altitude infrastructure and its applications in modern cities.
The institution’s emphasis on collaboration among universities, industry and research organisations also reflects a central requirement for the emerging sector – developing technologies and translating them into practical services.
The seminar was also enriched by the dedication and support of its organising team. Professor Cai Xinjiang, Wu Fang, Mrs Yuan and other members of the seminar team provided valuable assistance throughout the programme, supporting participants during classes and coffee breaks, sharing timely information and regular updates, and accompanying them on study visits and cultural excursions. Their consistent engagement helped ensure that participants remained informed, activities ran smoothly and questions could be addressed throughout the two-week programme. Beyond the academic sessions, their hospitality and personal attention contributed to a welcoming environment that encouraged interaction, cultural exchange and stronger connections among participants from the eight countries.
From Knowledge Exchange To Practical Application
The seminar ended on September 23 with a summary exchange and participant evaluation session, following an introduction to the School of Civil Engineering by Dean Chen. The final academic activity gave participants an opportunity to reflect on the programme, discuss key lessons and exchange views on the relevance of China’s low-altitude economy experience to their respective countries.
The closing ceremony featured the presentation of certificates and souvenirs, marking the end of two weeks of lectures, study visits and cultural engagement.
For the participating countries, the discussions raised practical questions about how low-altitude technology might address local challenges: whether drones could improve access to remote communities, support emergency medical deliveries, strengthen agricultural monitoring, improve infrastructure inspection or complement existing transport networks.
Realising those possibilities would require more than purchasing aircraft. It would involve developing suitable landing infrastructure, reliable communications, trained operators, maintenance capacity, clear regulatory frameworks and business models capable of sustaining services over time.
The seminar’s wider message was that low-altitude technology should be considered as part of an integrated development system, connecting aircraft and digital tools with infrastructure, public policy, industry and human expertise.
As countries explore the opportunities presented by the low-altitude economy, the experience shared in Suzhou offers a basis for further dialogue and cooperation. Its ultimate relevance will depend on how effectively participating countries translate the knowledge gained into solutions suited to their own development priorities and local conditions.