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.