New Flight System Targets ‘Blind Spots’ in China’s Low-Altitude Economy
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A low-altitude flight demonstration is held in Jilin on Sept. 26. Photo: IC Photo
A research institute in South China's Guangdong province has unveiled a standardized management system for low-altitude aircraft designed to mitigate collision risks caused by fragmented flight data across China’s airspace.
The International Digital Economy Academy (IDEA) released the combined software and hardware server on Saturday, offering a deployable solution for local governments to monitor drone and aircraft activity.
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- The International Digital Economy Academy (IDEA) launched a standardized system to unify low-altitude aircraft data and improve flight safety in China.
- Before this, no standardized management existed; custom platforms cost local governments up to 10 million yuan ($1.4 million) despite low flight volumes in many cities.
- IDEA’s system, trialed in Shenzhen (which averages 4,000 daily low-altitude flights), can be scaled as needed and costs about one million yuan per server.
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Who’s Who
- Meituan
- Meituan is mentioned as a delivery giant operating commercial logistics drones. It is also noted that Shenzhen, a model city for the "low-altitude economy," hosts commercial operations by Meituan and SF Express. Their operations contribute to the high daily flight volumes in the tech hub.
- SF Express
- SF Express is a major Chinese delivery giant that operates commercial logistics drones. Its unit, Pheonix Wings, manages real-time drone data internally. Alongside Meituan, SF Express conducts commercial low-altitude operations in Shenzhen, a model city for this sector, which has seen over 130,000 low-altitude flights since early 2025.
- Pheonix Wings
- Pheonix Wings is a unit of the Chinese delivery giant SF Express. They operate commercial logistics drones and manage their real-time data internally. Their data feed will be integrated into the International Digital Economy Academy's new server system. This system aims to provide monitoring, early warnings, and route planning capabilities for low-altitude aircraft in China.
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