(Yicai) Jan. 16 -- Shanghai should capitalize on its advantages to hasten the development of a low-altitude economy industry hub, according to proposals from members of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Shanghai can leverage its strengths in artificial intelligence and fifth-generation technology to promote the use of drones in smart logistics, urban security, and agricultural plant protection, Zhu Zhen, president of Shanghai-based e-Buy Information Technology, noted at this year's Shanghai Two Sessions, the annual meetings of the city’s top legislative and political advisory bodies that opened yesterday.

Low-altitude passenger vehicles can offer short-distance commuting services for business professionals, Zhu said, and they can also be used in tourism such as over the Huangpu river, Chongming island, and Disneyland Resort, to offer top-notch air tours.

Coming up with more usage scenarios is one of the keys to developing the low-altitude economy, said Tong Jisheng, chairman of state-backed Orient International Group. "More diverse application scenarios bring greater market demand for low-altitude aircraft, as well as increased needs for related production, manufacturing, and services, thus forming a virtuous cycle," Tong noted.

Shanghai could promote more uses through low-altitude economy demonstration parks, Tong suggested. For instance, Orient International set up a demonstration zone last year within Shanghai’s Hongqiao aviation hub, including take-off and landing facilities, energy infrastructure, flight service stations, and maintenance bases.

Another proposal at the Two Sessions suggested creating a low-altitude economy headquarters cluster in Changning district in the city center. This proposal noted that Changning hosts the Civil Aviation Administration of China's East Regional Administration, which can be capitalized on to establish professional agencies for the certification of low-altitude craft airworthiness, thereby attracting enterprises to settle in the district.

Since last year, the low-altitude economy has become a vibrant new sector for China's emerging industries. According to an action plan released by Shanghai last July, by 2027 the city aims to establish a complete industrial chain for research and design, assembly and manufacturing, airworthiness testing, and commercial applications of low-altitude aircraft, with core industries reaching a scale of over CNY50 billion (USD6.8 billion).

Editors: Dou Shicong, Tom Litting