On Aug. 15, 60 companies which made outstanding contributions in taxpaying, economic development and industrial investment in 2022, as well as emerging and innovative enterprises, were awarded helicopter charter flight vouchers at Pingshan Artisan Park. This reward not only benefits the companies but also injects vitality into the low-altitude economy development in Pingshan. 

"It was my first experience commuting by helicopter. The flight was fast, convenient and smooth. In the future, I will consider this commuting method," said Ms. Wang, a representative from a Shenzhen technology company, who used her helicopter charter voucher to fly from Pingshan to Futian for business purposes. 

Companies which made outstanding contributions in 2022 are awarded helicopter charter flight vouchers Aug. 15. Photos from WeChat account "pingshanfb"

The low-altitude economy is one of the key industrial clusters in Shenzhen's development plan, with significant economic and social benefits. Recently, Shenzhen is rolling out a series of measures aimed at bolstering the high-quality development of the burgeoning low-altitude economy. The city will offer subsidies of up to 50 million yuan (US$6.95 million) to enterprises that choose Shenzhen as their operation base, increase investments, achieve technological breakthroughs, or venture into the Electric Vertical Take-off and Landing (eVTOL) sector, according to a draft plan released by the municipal transport bureau to seek public suggestions.

Enterprises engaged in the manufacturing or operation of eVTOL vehicles, with a paid-in registered capital exceeding 20 million yuan, will receive subsidies equivalent to 5% of their registered capital, which will be capped at 20 million yuan, if their operating revenue has reached 40 million yuan in the second year following their settlement in the city.

Recognizing that innovation is the lifeblood of any evolving industry, Shenzhen is offering substantial financial support to foster technological advancements. Low-altitude economy enterprises engaged in core component research and development, manufacturing and applications of eVTOL are eligible for grants of up to 1 million yuan. The city will subsidize at most 10 projects a year. To expand application scenarios, enterprises that open logistics routes at low altitude will each receive up to 20 million yuan a year depending on indicators such as the size of unmanned aerial vehicles and the scale of their route networks.

Last year, Shenzhen issued a plan for the city's low-altitude economy development during 2022-2025, which provided guidance for various districts. In Pingshan, it aimed to establish a research, manufacturing and testing base for low-altitude economy enterprises, and implement various low-altitude flight operations in central areas, Tianxin and Tiantou areas, while strengthening collaboration with leading low-altitude economy companies such as Heli-Eastern. 

In March, Pingshan held the inaugural flight ceremony for its heliport, inviting over 20 representatives from enterprises and high-level talents to experience helicopter rides. The opening of the heliport's fixed routes reduced commuting time from Pingshan Yanzi Lake International Convention and Exhibition Center to Bao'an International Airport to just 20 minutes, to Futian central business area, 13 minutes. This significant reduction in travel time has greatly shortened the distance between Pingshan and the central urban area and important transportation hubs, effectively meeting the business travel needs of various enterprises. Discussions are currently underway for the construction of helicopter aprons in buildings such as Jintaike Tower, Kaiwo Tower, and the industrial zone.

Next, Pingshan will roll out policies to support the low-altitude economy development, draft a three-year action plan and form the low-altitude manufacturing industry chain, gradually developing a comprehensive and multi-domain low-altitude service network. It will support Shenzhen Technology University's unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) testing and experimentation public service platform, and promote the construction of supporting facilities such as UAV takeoff and landing sites in industrial parks. It will facilitate the helipad use of the Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen before 2024, and the district people's hospital before 2025, establishing an aerial medical evacuation channel and an aerial emergency rescue system.