In recent years the "low‑altitude economy" has become a bright hallmark on Wuhu's industrial map. From one "made‑in‑Wuhu" aircraft after another taking off from the aerospace industrial park, to the successful maiden flight of a world‑leading tiltrotor, and to the establishment of the nation's first city‑level intelligent low‑altitude connectivity system, Wuhu is carving out a remarkable new flight path through the blue‑ocean of the low‑altitude economy with steady innovation.

At the recent Wuhu municipal Two Sessions, reporters learned that over the past year Wuhu's low‑altitude economy and related industries all maintained double‑digit revenue growth; the city completed the nation's first city‑level intelligent low‑altitude connectivity system; and the "Wuhu Low‑Altitude Integrated Regulatory Command and Dispatch Platform Project" won first prize in the national 5G applications competition finals. Wuhu is accelerating the high‑quality development of its low‑altitude economy.

Wuhu's low‑altitude dream began with forward‑looking planning more than a decade ago. In 2013 the municipal Party committee and government strategically launched the development of the low‑altitude economy. After years of deep cultivation, this fertile industrial soil has yielded a string of significant achievements that mark homegrown breakthroughs.

From the DA42 "made‑in‑Wuhu" aircraft entering market operations in 2017, to the domestically produced AE300 engine breaking the country's blank record for certified piston heavy‑fuel engines in 2020; from the AEC 2.0L aero engine—with fully independent intellectual property—receiving its type certificate and the maiden flight of the all‑domestic CA42 general‑aviation aircraft in 2023, to the first domestic general‑aviation propeller obtaining its type certificate in 2024, Wuhu has achieved self-developed and controllable capabilities step by step across the "aircraft, power, propeller" critical links of domestic general aviation.

As 2025 began, the pace of innovation accelerated further. China's first unmanned helicopter system to pass airworthiness certification, TD550D, was born, and the world's first turboprop trainer with a full carbon‑fiber composite airframe (TA‑20) made its public debut. Most notably, the final assembly and successful maiden flight of the world's first 6‑ton‑class tiltrotor, the "Lanying R6000," signified Wuhu's entry into the global forefront in the cutting‑edge tiltrotor field—which combines the advantages of helicopters and fixed‑wing aircraft—and provided the first large‑scale, application‑level solution for the industrialization and deployment of tiltrotor technology worldwide.

These accomplishments are not isolated technical breakthroughs but the systematic results of Wuhu's "industry + sci‑tech innovation" approach, using innovation to drive new quality productive forces. Together they have built Wuhu's national leading edge in low‑altitude manufacturing—particularly in small‑ and medium‑sized general‑aviation aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.

In Wuhu, individual technical breakthroughs have converged into the overall rise of the industrial chain; the city's low‑altitude economy has rapidly evolved from standalone manufacturing into a full‑chain ecological system.

Currently Wuhu has nearly 200 above designated size enterprises clustered in the low‑altitude economy industrial chain, covering entire‑aircraft manufacturing, drones, aero engines, propellers, avionics systems, operation services and other full‑chain segments. The idea that "you can build a domestically produced general‑aviation aircraft without leaving Wuhu" has become a reality. As one of the nation's first comprehensive demonstration zones for the general‑aviation industry, Wuhu has earned an industry reputation captured in the saying: "for large aircraft look to Shanghai, for small aircraft look to Wuhu."

A robust industrial ecosystem has attracted major projects such as Luxshare Precision and Tengden UAV, and has driven the commencement of new projects including the CETC drone base and the Yangtze River Delta comprehensive verification laboratory for low‑altitude flight safety. The provincial government established a provincial low‑altitude economy development company in Wuhu, and the Yangtze River Delta comprehensive testing and verification base for the low‑altitude economy has begun construction—further strengthening Wuhu's position as a core node in the province and across the Yangtze River Delta's low‑altitude economic layout.

Wuhu's low‑altitude economy is accelerating its shift from "good manufacturing" toward "effective use" and "safe flight." The 2025 Low‑Altitude Economy Development Conference theme deepened from "develop the low‑altitude economy, create and enjoy a better future" to "scene‑driven innovation leads safe and orderly development," reflecting this very trend.

Looking ahead to the 15th Five‑Year Plan, Wuhu has designated the low‑altitude economy as one of its leading emerging industries. In line with the government work report's directives, Wuhu will continue to focus on trends of electrification, intelligence and unmanned operation—attracting and nurturing leading enterprises in eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle) manufacturing, avionics and propulsion systems—to build a full "research‑manufacture‑test‑flight" industry chain.

Meanwhile Wuhu will use the "Jiuzi Sci‑Tech Innovation Bay" as a strategic pivot to build a cluster of R&D centers for the low‑altitude economy, and—leveraging its leading advantages in artificial intelligence and computing power—deepen the integration of "AI + low‑altitude economy," expanding diversified application scenarios such as logistics distribution, urban mobility, emergency rescue and cultural‑tourism experiences.

Source: anhuinews.com