Building low-altitude flight scenarios is crucial for developing new quality productive forces.

On November 19, a composite wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a nearly seven-meter wingspan attracted the attention of numerous visiting experts on the campus of Shandong Vocational and Technical University of International Studies (SWUT). This drone, designed for artificial rain enhancement, was independently developed by SWUT and has already been put into use.

Li Jie, the lead researcher of the UAV major at SWUT, told Science and Technology Daily that their fire-fighting drone system has gained industry recognition. The breakthrough in electromagnetic fire extinguishing bombs and the successful execution of the world's first near space balloon based rocket launch mission highlight the team's achievements.

These advancements at SWUT exemplify the rapid rise of the "low-altitude economy" in Rizhao, a southeastern city in east China's Shandong province.

In recent years, Rizhao has attracted several high-quality enterprises, including Shandong Feiao Aircraft Engine Co., Ltd (Feiao Aircraft). These companies have formed a diversified development pattern that encompasses industries such as aviation maintenance and manufacturing, UAV research and production, flight training, and advanced materials. In the Rizhao Airport Economic Development Zone alone, more than 30 projects related to materials, R&D, manufacturing, maintenance and operational support have been established.

"We are striving to build an 'aviation+' industrial ecosystem," said Li Feng, director of the Development and Reform Bureau of Rizhao's Donggang district. The goal is to expand the low-altitude economic chain to include areas such as aviation manufacturing and maintenance, flight training, and emerging fields like aerial sightseeing and scientific experiments, he said.

Inside Feiao Aircraft's workshop, various production processes, from design and forging to heat treatment, assembly and testing, operate seamlessly. Rows of finished engines are neatly stacked, awaiting shipment. Chang Shuzeng, chairman of Feiao Aircraft indicated an engine that can carry a maximum load of 200 kilograms. "[With that load] it has a single flight duration of five to 12 hours and a flight altitude of around 4,000 meters," he said.

According to Chang, the company currently offers over 50 products suitable for drones with takeoff weights ranging from 10 to 500 kilograms and provides customized production based on customer needs. After seven years of development, Feiao Aircraft's business now covers everything from raw material processing to complete engine assembly and testing. The company owns a full-process production line for UAV engines with fully independent intellectual property, and its self-research and self-production rate exceeds 90 percent. Their orders span more than 30 countries and regions.

"Rizhao has unique advantages in tapping into the new blue ocean of the low-altitude economy," said Yang Xiaodong, deputy director of the Commerce Bureau of Rizhao. The city has the largest designated low-altitude airspace in east China, covering 23,000 square kilometers, which is 4.3 times its land area. This airspace includes diverse terrain such as mountains, rivers and oceans, and it covers 70 percent of the application scenarios typical in coastal cities.

Institutions such as SWUT have recently introduced aviation-related subjects. The rapid establishment of multiple aviation R&D platforms is providing robust technological and talent support for the development of the local low-altitude economy.

The Rizhao Low-Altitude Economy Innovative Development Plan for 2024-2026 was officially launched on June 27 of this year. The local government is seizing this strategic opportunity to promote the construction of the city's low-altitude economy and accelerate the development of an integrated ecosystem.