The Chinese mainland has unveiled its first \"4S store\" for drones, marking a significant step in enhancing the nation's burgeoning low-altitude economy. Officially named the Low-Altitude Economy Intelligent Equipment Exhibition and Sales Center, the store began trial operations at the national base for civil unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) testing in Pengzhou, southwest of Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province.
Modeled after traditional automotive 4S stores, the center offers a comprehensive range of services, including drone sales, maintenance, parts, and information. Additionally, it provides supplementary services such as drone insurance, financial services, public education, and forum activities. A total of 32 drone-related companies have partnered to establish their operations within the center.
Zhou Xiaoming, head of the Sky Eye testing base, highlighted the store's offerings: \"Here, you can purchase a wide variety of drones with comprehensive functions at competitive prices, while also experiencing a one-stop 'buy and try' service.\"
One of the long-standing challenges for the drone industry in the Chinese mainland has been securing test-flight sites and obtaining airspace approvals. Located in the Longmen Mountain range, Sky Eye operates within an airspace below 1,200 meters and a 5-kilometer radius, facilitating daily test missions for various drone types.
Since its establishment on December 8, 2017, Sky Eye has become a pivotal civil UAV flight base in southwest China. In August 2022, it was approved as a national civil UAV testing base, allowing trial flights to be reported just one hour in advance. This shift from an \"approval system\" to a \"notification system\" has effectively met the growing demand for airspace use, reduced user costs, and enhanced operational efficiency.
Currently, Sky Eye boasts 10 test-flight locations and 19 low-altitude economic application scenarios, making it the largest among China's 20 national testing bases. It has attracted 132 entities involved in drone R&D, production, mission payloads, and system management, significantly boosting Sichuan's low-altitude economy.
The drone industry in the Chinese mainland is experiencing rapid growth, with nearly 608,000 UAVs newly registered in the first half of 2024—a 48 percent increase from the end of 2023. Additionally, the cumulative flight time of UAVs reached nearly 9.82 million hours in the first half of the year, up by 134,000 hours compared to the same period last year.
A report by a research institute under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the Chinese mainland revealed that the low-altitude economy sector was valued at 505.95 billion yuan (approximately $69.3 billion) in 2023 and is projected to surpass 1 trillion yuan by 2026. This growth is driven by continuous technological innovation and the strategic initiatives undertaken by centers like the newly launched \"4S store.\"
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
