China’s low-altitude economy is experiencing a moment, as homegrown manufacturers like ZeroG Aircraft Industry challenge established global players in the electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) market. With Beijing designating six pilot cities for eVTOL operations and the industry valued at nearly RMB 1 trillion in 2024, ZeroG’s three-aircraft strategy positions the Hefei-based startup at the forefront of China’s national low-altitude economy initiative.

Hong Kong has taken a major step toward establishing itself as a leading hub for the low-altitude economy (LAE) by introducing new regulations that allow drones to carry significantly heavier payloads. The Small Unmanned Aircraft (Amendment) Order 2025, which took effect on July 18, 2025, extends the regulatory framework to cover drones weighing up to 150 kilograms, a six-fold increase from the previous 25-kilogram limit.

China’s low-altitude economy (LAE), which covers airspace generally below 1,000 meters and extends up to 3,000–4,000 meters in select corridors, has moved from early trials to an essential part of urban and regional mobility. Today, drones carry out crop spraying, eVTOLs conduct daily test flights, and dedicated low-altitude flight corridors manage aircraft through crowded city skies. The executives profiled below write the rules, design the aircraft, secure the funding, and prove the business cases, whether for air taxis, drone deliveries, precision agriculture, or emergency response. Their work shows how coordinated action can turn low-altitude flight into a mainstream mode of transport.

On July 18, 2025, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) quietly released its long-anticipated Advisory Circular (AC) detailing certification guidance for powered-lift aircraft. This marks the first comprehensive certification framework for a new civil aircraft category since helicopters were introduced nearly 80 years ago. The new AC advisory circular provides a baseline for manufacturers pursuing type, production, and airworthiness certification of powered-lift vehicles, such as electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

The transformation of Shenzhen from a fishing village to China's technology capital has been well documented, but its latest shape shift into a significant force in the global low-altitude economy represents a major development in urban mobility. While cities across the globe work to understand and adapt China's integrated approach to three-dimensional urban mobility, Shenzhen's Qianhai special economic zone has established a leading position in demonstrating how strategic policy innovation, industrial clustering, and cross-border integration can accelerate the commercialization of low-altitude technologies.

The low-altitude economy, encompassing economic activities within airspace below 1,000 meters and extending to 3,000 meters when operationally necessary, achieved significant milestones during Q2 2025 (April-June). This rapidly maturing industry, driven by cargo delivery, urban air taxi services, and medical transport applications, witnessed substantial progress in regulatory certification, manufacturing acceleration, and commercial partnerships across global markets.

The eVTOL industry has reached a point where commercial viability hinges primarily on power generation systems rather than aerodynamic configurations. Although industry discourse frequently centers on the merits of multirotor versus lift+cruise designs, the true competitive advantage emerges from an aircraft's efficiency in generating, managing, and distributing power across its entire operational spectrum.

On June 17, 2025, aviation regulators from five countries released a roadmap that could determine whether urban air mobility succeeds or fails. The National Aviation Authorities Network, comprising the US FAA, the UK CAA, Australia's CASA, Transport Canada, and New Zealand's CAA, has published its "Roadmap for Advanced Air Mobility Aircraft Type Certification." This matters because the low-altitude economy faces a critical bottleneck. Electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft don't fit neatly into existing rules designed for helicopters and airplanes. The result? Every Western eVTOL company missed its 2024 certification targets.

As Advanced Air Mobility transitions from prototype demonstrations to commercial operations, staying current with essential publications becomes crucial for enthusiasts, students, and professionals seeking to understand the technical foundations, market dynamics, and operational challenges ahead in the Low Altitude Economy.