Navigating China's low altitude future: Reflections from a pilot

Editor's note: The recommendations for China's 15th Five-Year Plan have been released, outlining strategic priorities for the country's next stage of modernization. CGTN is inviting industry insiders and experts to interpret the policy implications across science and technology, ecological civilization and ecosystem conservation – key drivers of China's high-quality development. In this piece, Zhang Bo, China's first pilot to complete a solo around-the-world flight in 2016 using single-engine turboprop aircraft, explains how China will advance its low-altitude economy and aviation innovation under the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030), and explores pathways toward building a world-class low-altitude aviation system. This article has been adapted for clarity. The views expressed are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of CGTN.

As China steps into the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), low-altitude development is emerging as one of the most closely watched frontiers of industrial transformation. This strategic window comes amid strong momentum in China's low-altitude economy, vividly demonstrated at the 2025 Zhuhai General Aviation Exhibition.

China's low-altitude sector is no longer in the proof-of-concept stage. It is entering a phase where policy ambition, industrial capability and real market demand are converging, setting the stage for a transformation that could reshape aviation, technology, mobility and daily life for millions.

A historic moment for China's low-altitude economy

The 2025 Zhuhai Exhibition was the most dynamic in its history. From electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL), to advanced unmanned aerial systems, pilot training programs and new generation general aviation aircraft, the event demonstrated the maturity and readiness of China's low-altitude sector. More importantly, it revealed a remarkable alignment among government policy, industry innovation, capital investment and public enthusiasm.

For the first time, the conversation about low-altitude development is no longer limited to demonstration flights or policy discussions. It has entered the stage of large scale commercial deployment. This year, dozens of companies presented solutions for logistics, emergency response, agricultural operations, mapping, tourism, pilot training and urban aerial mobility. What impressed me most was the confidence not just within the companies, but in the thousands of young students, engineers and pilots who watched the airshow with ambition in their eyes. They know that the next decade belongs to them.

Having completed three around-the-world flights and logged thousands of hours navigating low-altitude airspace on multiple continents, I see this year's Zhuhai event not as a routine showcase but as a turning point. What used to be product demonstrations has evolved into full commercial solutions, with companies presenting ready-to-deploy eVTOL aircraft, operational service models and integrated mobility ecosystems. 

Why low-altitude matters to China

As someone who has flown through the skies of more than 40 countries, I have witnessed firsthand how a healthy general aviation ecosystem transforms a nation. Low-altitude freedom stimulates innovation. It empowers small businesses. It enables emergency services that save lives. It provides young people with opportunities and skills that connect them to the world.

In the United States, where I have flown extensively, general aviation is a major contributor to the national economy, supporting millions of jobs and generating hundreds of billions of dollars annually. Europe, Australia and Canada all demonstrate the same pattern: when low-altitude airspace becomes accessible, prosperity follows.

China is now on the verge of experiencing the same transformation but on a scale the world has never seen.

China's 15th Five-Year Plan: A strategic opportunity

China has the opportunity to make low-altitude aviation a central pillar of its modern industrial system during the upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan period. Several key strategic directions are now taking shape.

The first is reforming low-altitude airspace management. The most significant breakthroughs will come from deeper reforms in airspace governance. In recent years, China has already opened low-altitude flight corridors in several provinces. The next step is to build a national framework that supports classified and graded airspace management, intelligent digital flight service systems, automated approval processes, real-time monitoring and the integration of manned and unmanned aircraft. This reform alone has the potential to unlock trillions of yuan in economic value.

The second direction is building a world-class eVTOL and UAV industrial cluster. China is already the global leader in unmanned aerial vehicles. At the Zhuhai Exhibition, it was clear that China's strength is rapidly evolving from consumer drones to heavy-lift UAVs, long-endurance platforms and eVTOL aircraft intended for passenger mobility. Over the next five years, we can expect the emergence of commercial eVTOL routes in major cities, low-altitude logistics networks serving rural regions, UAV-supported emergency response systems and large-scale autonomous operation technologies. These capabilities will not only elevate China's domestic industry but also shape global competition.

A third priority is accelerating infrastructure construction for a low-altitude nation. For the low-altitude economy to flourish, infrastructure must be built ahead of demand. During my global flights, I observed how countries such as the United States and Canada rely on thousands of small airports, heliports, fueling stations and maintenance bases. China will likewise need a national network of takeoff and landing sites, vertiports for eVTOL operations, supply chains supporting aircraft maintenance and parts, digital systems for air traffic management and comprehensive pilot training and certification programs. These investments will create new jobs, new industries and new mobility patterns.

Finally, fostering a culture of general aviation may be the most important and most challenging task. A thriving low-altitude economy requires public acceptance, a strong pilot community, aviation education in schools and opportunities for young people to gain early exposure to flight. 

China's path will not simply replicate Western models. The country holds distinct advantages: a unified national planning system, a vast population driving demand for new mobility services, strong manufacturing and supply chain capabilities, rapid adoption of emerging technologies and a government willing to advance strategic industries. Together, these strengths position China to leapfrog traditional aviation frameworks and build a next-generation low-altitude system that is smart, green, autonomous and highly integrated.

My own journey began with a dream: one aircraft, one pilot, one world. When I completed my first around-the-world flight in 2016 as the first pilot to circle the globe in an aircraft representing China, the general aviation sector at home was still in its infancy. Many of the countries I visited had mature aviation cultures, vibrant pilot communities and robust low-altitude infrastructures. China had ambition, but the foundations were still being built.

Today, less than a decade later, China's low-altitude economy has become a national priority. The pace of development has accelerated beyond anything I imagined at the time.

If my experience can inspire young Chinese people to look up at the sky and imagine something greater, then the meaning of the low-altitude era will extend far beyond economics.

As we move into the 15th Five-Year Plan period, I am confident that China will not only build a world-class low-altitude economy, but also inspire the next generation to dream, innovate and fly. Our future is not only on the ground – it is increasingly in the sky.