Tianhe district, Guangzhou's economic and innovation hub in South China's Guangdong province, is at the forefront of developing the low-altitude economy sector.

The district has built a comprehensive industrial ecosystem that includes R&D, manufacturing, and commercial uses, all backed by robust technological strengths. In 2024, this sector generated over 5 billion yuan ($695.18 million) in revenue and accounted for more than half of Guangzhou's relevant patents.

An autonomous eVTOL aircraft flies over Guangzhou's Tianhe CBD. [Photo/WeChat account: tianhefabu]

Industry leaders based in Tianhe, such as XAG and EHang, are fueling innovation within the sector.

XAG's agricultural drones have been used on 2.1 billion mu (140 million hectares) of land across 70 countries and regions. Meanwhile, EHang's EH216-S pilotless eVTOL aircraft is recognized as the world's first fully certified passenger-grade eVTOL aircraft.

Tianhe has cultivated an industrial cluster with more than 50 enterprises across the entire low-altitude economy value chain.

To speed up development, Tianhe is deploying key infrastructure, such as its low-altitude intelligent network pilot zone. This zone operates under the advanced "1+6+3" framework, which includes: a single integrated management platform; six core subsystems – communication, navigation, surveillance, meteorology, identification, and electromagnetic detection; and three support centers for computing, AI enablement, and data security.

The demonstration base for forestry drone applications in Tianhe's Longyandong Forest Farm. [Photo/ Southern Metropolis Daily]

Strategic locations like Guangzhou International Financial City are establishing dedicated drone operation hubs and logistics systems to back new uses such as urban air mobility and delivery services.

The district is also finalizing support policies to foster technological innovation, expanding application scenarios, and attracting talent acquisition, reinforcing Tianhe's leadership in this transformative sector.