Hefei: China's Low-Altitude Economy Development Hub

Located in the heart of Anhui Province between the Yangtze and Huai Rivers, Hefei occupies a strategic position in East China, approximately 130 kilometers west of Nanjing. The city has experienced remarkable growth, with its population exceeding 8 million and serving as a central technological hub. This growth is driven primarily by talent migration, with over 91.8% of population increases attributed to new residents seeking opportunities in the city's expanding technology industries.

Hefei's demographic profile reflects a knowledge-driven economy, with more than 180 researchers per 10,000 employed residents in 2023, which is twice the national average. The city also boasts an urbanization rate above 85%, supporting the infrastructure needed for advanced air mobility activities.

Shenzhen: The Established Leader

Shenzhen's reputation as China's low-altitude economy capital is well-deserved. The city hosts over 1,900 enterprises in the LAE space, generating 21.38 billion yuan in value-added output with a 26.4% year-on-year increase. With global giants like DJI commanding 70% of the world's consumer drone market, Shenzhen naturally attracts international attention and media coverage.

The city's achievements are impressive: over 700,000 cargo flights completed in 2024, more than 200 drone routes in operation, and ambitious plans to build over 1,200 takeoff and landing facilities by 2026. Shenzhen's low-altitude economy achieved an annual output exceeding 90 billion yuan in 2024.

Shenzhen's success stems from its high-intensity innovation culture and international business environment. The city's characteristic "996" work culture, working from 9 AM to 9 PM, six days a week, drives the rapid iteration and competitive edge that have made companies like DJI global leaders. This demanding pace attracts young, ambitious professionals from across China and internationally, creating a dynamic talent pool willing to prioritize career advancement over work-life balance.

The city's cosmopolitan atmosphere and proximity to Hong Kong provide crucial advantages for international market penetration and global supply chain integration. However, this comes at a significant cost—housing expenses among China's highest create economic pressures that reinforce the necessity for intensive work schedules and high salaries, making Shenzhen more suitable for career-focused individuals seeking rapid professional growth in global markets.

Hefei: The Strategic Challenger

Hefei has developed an operationally focused model that emphasizes practical urban air mobility applications. The city has assembled more than 300 companies participating in the low-altitude economy, creating what officials describe as a comprehensive ecosystem integrating research and development, manufacturing, sales, operation, and service capabilities.

Hefei has prioritized operational implementation across medical logistics, emergency services, and daily urban applications. While Shenzhen excels in manufacturing and global market reach, Hefei has prioritized creating a functioning urban air mobility system that serves real daily needs.

Hefei's approach reflects a fundamentally different development philosophy that prioritizes sustainable growth and practical implementation over intensive competition. The city's dramatically lower cost of living, with rental costs 75% lower than Shenzhen, reduces financial pressure on workers and companies, enabling focus on long-term development rather than immediate market pressures.

This economic environment supports Hefei's knowledge-intensive workforce, with over 180 researchers per 10,000 employed residents—twice the national average. The reduced cost pressures allow for more balanced workplace cultures that emphasize methodical progress and collaborative innovation between public and private sectors. Rather than the high-stakes, high-pressure environment of Shenzhen's tech giants, Hefei's government-supported initiatives foster innovation through stability and practical application, creating workplace environments focused on solving real urban challenges through sustainable technological development.

The result is a city that attracts talent seeking professional growth in a more affordable, balanced environment, while maintaining advanced skills in emerging technologies such as urban air mobility.

Luogang Central Park: One of the Largest Urban Air Mobility Hubs

A single passenger flies in EHang’s autonomous air taxi above Hefei’s Luogang Central Park.

At the center of Hefei's low-altitude economy development lies Luogang Central Park, a transformed 12.7-square-kilometer urban space built on the site of the former Hefei Luogang International Airport. This facility serves as a testing ground for urban air mobility operations.

The park houses two major eVTOL operation centers established through EHang's partnership with the Hefei Municipal Government. These facilities can accommodate 10 units of EH216-S aircraft for operations and store up to 50 eVTOL aircraft, enabling low-altitude shuttle flights within the park.

The Urban Air Mobility Operations Center, launched in May 2024, provides operational capabilities for 10 units of EH216-S aircraft with storage for up to 50 eVTOL aircraft. This facility enables low-altitude shuttle flights within the park and serves as a testing ground for various UAM applications.

The UAM Hub "Ascend", launched in November 2024, features an upward spiral design that symbolizes the growth of the eVTOL low-altitude economy. This facility provides complete passenger services, including ticketing, waiting areas, boarding facilities, and maintenance operations.

Operational Network and Routes

Hefei has established an extensive low-altitude operational network comprising over 100 service routes across seven distinct categories. These operations include:

• Medical Supply Delivery: Over 25 blood delivery routes connecting more than 20 hospitals throughout the city, reducing critical delivery times by more than 50%
• Commercial Logistics: Food delivery services, package distribution, and emergency supply transport
• Infrastructure Inspection: Rail track patrol, power line inspection, and fire safety monitoring
• Tourism and Sightseeing: Commercial eVTOL flights for urban air mobility experiences

Medical Emergency Networks

The city's blood delivery network, operated by companies including Antwork Technology and Hefei Songba Feihe Low Altitude Logistics, demonstrates the practical applications of the low-altitude economy. These drones operate at approximately 100 meters altitude, covering about one kilometer per minute and providing critical medical supply transport that reduces delivery times by over half compared to traditional methods.

The city operates drone routes connecting 20 hospitals within 20-minute flight times, with daily medical flights growing from two to three flights to over 100 flights. This network has established close to 40 drone hubs throughout the city, specifically for medical logistics.

Hefei's medical network demonstrates practical urban air mobility that directly saves lives, operating blood delivery systems that can transport over 10,000 milliliters of blood through multiple round trips during urgent situations.

Shenzhen, despite its larger scale, has not achieved this level of integration in critical emergency services.

Infrastructure Integration

Hefei operates over 200 drone corridors serving multiple applications, but more importantly, these corridors are integrated into the city's broader transportation and emergency response systems. The city's Luogang Park serves as both an operational hub and a "super experimental field" where visitors can access air taxi services and drone delivery operations.

Shenzhen's 203 active drone routes and 121 dedicated takeoff and landing points represent impressive infrastructure, but Hefei's integration approach creates more seamless user experiences and practical daily applications.

Hefei's Vertiport UAM Infrastructure Network

EHang UAM Hub in Hefei Luogang Central Park

Hefei has developed a three-tier vertiport infrastructure network designed to support varied urban air mobility applications. The city's Low Altitude Infrastructure and Scenario Application Plan for Urban Air Mobility establishes a three-level infrastructure network for low-altitude takeoff and landing based on application scenario services.

The infrastructure incorporates intelligent automation and innovative technology throughout all three tiers. The Luogang facilities exemplify this innovation with automated vertical lift platforms that can move aircraft between floors, optimizing space usage and reducing labor costs. These systems enable rapid aircraft deployment and efficient charging operations while providing seamless integration between takeoff and landing pads and hangar facilities.

Each facility within the network includes command-and-control centers that coordinate multiple aircraft operations and integrate with the broader air traffic management system. This automated approach allows the network to handle increasing operational demands while maintaining safety and efficiency standards.

UAM Hubs (Top Tier)

These large-scale facilities serve as primary operational centers, exemplified by the Luogang Central Park complex. The flagship hub spans approximately 1,963 square meters and accommodates 10 to 20 EH216-S aircraft simultaneously.

The hub incorporates extensive passenger service infrastructure with multiple dedicated zones for ticketing and passenger waiting, alongside specialized boarding and departure facilities. Operational management is centralized through command-and-control centers that oversee flight operations, ensuring coordinated and safe aircraft movements.

Aircraft support infrastructure forms a critical component of these facilities, encompassing charging and maintenance areas designed for efficient fleet management. The hub provides substantial storage capacity, capable of housing up to 50 eVTOL aircraft when not in active service.

The facility specifications demonstrate the scale of these top-tier operations: the approximately 1,963 square meter complex can simultaneously handle 10 to 20 EH216-S aircraft while maintaining storage for up to 50 eVTOL aircraft total, establishing it as a significant operational hub in the urban air mobility network.

UAM Bases (Secondary Tier)

These mid-sized facilities provide maintenance and operational support functions, serving as distribution points for drone operations and secondary hubs for passenger services. The UAM Bases complement the primary hubs by offering decentralized maintenance capabilities and supporting regional coverage throughout Hefei's urban area.

Takeoff and Landing Points (Tertiary Tier)

Distributed throughout urban areas, these smaller facilities provide access points for low-altitude services. They enable widespread coverage without requiring extensive infrastructure investment at each location. The plan envisions these points serving three main use cases: air shuttle services, aerial tourism, and cross-district transportation in the city's central areas.

Key Companies and Partnerships

While Shenzhen benefits from proximity to Hong Kong and international markets, Hefei has leveraged China's regulatory framework more effectively. Hefei Heyi Aviation became one of the first companies in China to receive civil aviation permits for operating manned passenger drones, which the company calls "a passport to the sky".

Anhui Province serves as a pilot area for China's national low-altitude airspace management reform, providing Hefei with regulatory advantages that even Shenzhen lacks. In March 2024, China's civil aviation authority approved Anhui's low-altitude expansion with 30 new airspace zones and 27 drone corridors in a single year.

Hefei's low-altitude economy ecosystem encompasses over 100 companies involved in research and development, manufacturing, sales, operation, and service. The city has attracted significant industry players, including:

EHang Holdings Limited has established extensive operations in Hefei through a partnership with the municipal government, receiving the world's first type certificate for an autonomous passenger eVTOL (EH216-S) and conducting demo flights from Luogang Central Park.

Hefei Heyi Aviation, a joint venture with the government, got China's first Air Operator Certificate for passenger drone services in March 2025, enabling urban sightseeing tours. In February 2025,

EHang announced a strategic partnership with JAC Motors and Guoxian Holdings to build an eVTOL manufacturing plant, utilizing JAC's automotive expertise.

Antwork, through Hefei Songba Feihe Low Altitude Logistics, has run nearly 100 drone routes since February 2024, providing medical deliveries and managing the national drone operations center.

Market Position in National Context

Hefei consistently appears among the 15 cities identified as building low-altitude economic ecosystems alongside Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Hangzhou.

More significantly, Hefei is one of only six cities, along with Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Chengdu, and Chongqing, selected as pilot cities for opening airspace below 600 meters. This places Hefei in the same exclusive tier as Shenzhen for regulatory opportunities.

Economic Impact Projections

Hefei's success challenges the narrative that only established tech hubs like Shenzhen can lead in emerging industries. The city demonstrates that strategic focus, government coordination, and practical application can compete effectively with pure innovation and capital concentration.

While Shenzhen rightfully receives recognition as China's drone capital and low-altitude economy pioneer, Hefei's thorough approach to creating functional urban air mobility systems offers a different but equally valuable model for LAE development. The city's emphasis on solving real urban challenges through air mobility, rather than simply advancing technology, provides lessons for other cities worldwide seeking to develop practical low-altitude economy applications.

Both cities contribute essential elements to China's low-altitude economy leadership: Shenzhen provides global innovation and manufacturing scale. At the same time, Hefei demonstrates how to create integrated, practical urban air mobility systems that improve daily life for citizens. Together, they represent the breadth and depth of China's approach to dominating this emerging industry.