On June 26, 2025, staff inspected an agricultural plant protection drone warehouse at the United Aircraft Group base in Shenzhen. According to a report from a German newspaper on February 11, data released during the Shenzhen People's Congress revealed that the southern Chinese tech hub has now opened 310 low-altitude logistics routes, 82 of which were newly added in 2025. At the same time, Shenzhen has constructed over 1,200 low-altitude takeoff and landing facilities. This infrastructure forms the backbone of the so-called "low-altitude economy," a sector covering the commercial use of drones and other aircraft at low altitudes. Shenzhen, home to the world's leading drone manufacturer DJI, has developed into a major production base for unmanned aerial vehicles. Data shows that 70% of consumer drones and 50% of industrial drones globally are manufactured in Shenzhen.
The push for low-altitude transportation development is supported by increasing research and development investment. Data indicates that Shenzhen's total R&D spending grew from 151.08 billion yuan in 2020 to 245.31 billion yuan in 2024, with an average annual growth rate of 12.9%. The Chinese government has officially recognized the low-altitude economy as a new engine for economic growth. According to estimates from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the market size of this sector reached 1.5 trillion yuan last year and is expected to expand to 3.5 trillion yuan by 2035.
To ensure orderly development of the low-altitude economy, ten Chinese government departments are working on a unified standardization framework. According to guidelines issued in February 2026, the low-altitude economy standard system should be basically established by 2027. By 2030, more than 300 standards are expected to be formulated covering aircraft, related infrastructure, air traffic control, and application scenarios.
In Shenzhen, drone delivery has already been integrated into daily life. Food delivery platform Meituan operates drone delivery routes in several urban parks, and its self-developed delivery drones have obtained national operating licenses. Customers can order coffee or meals via drones, with deliveries arriving at designated landing points within minutes of placing an order. Customers can collect their orders by scanning a QR code with their smartphones. Users have reported that this service is also available in locations such as Talent Park in Nanshan District. For many locals, drone food delivery is seen less as a novel technology and more as a practical option in everyday life.