Two fire trucks spray water cannons to welcome a red rescue helicopter from Kunming Air Rescue. [Photo/WeChat account: whkfq]
Wuhan Hannan Airport in Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone (WEDZ) hosted a ceremonial "water gate" on Jan 24, as two fire trucks sprayed water cannons to welcome a red rescue helicopter.
The event marked the official deployment of Kunming Air Rescue at the Central China national emergency rescue center, now equipped with a Changhe Z-8 helicopter.
This collaboration enhances the air-ground coordination integrated operational system, strengthening the aerial defense line to safeguard public lives and property. It underscores the growing effectiveness of the "low-altitude + emergency" applications in WEDZ.
WEDZ has attracted over 20 enterprises in the low-altitude economy sector, including Xuri Lantian and Vertifly, as well as general aviation operators such as Citic Cohc.
The zone has been approved for 12 regular low-altitude routes, supporting applications including sightseeing, short-distance transportation, and material delivery. The routes from Hannan to Shiyan and Jingzhou have been operational for over a year, with Hannan Airport recording 3,634 hours and 35 minutes of flight time and 11,268 flights in 2025.
Pioneers such as Xuri Lantian have established a smart logistics drone delivery network in the zone, enabling residents to place orders via mobile phone and quickly receive daily necessities at designated pickup points.
WEDZ plans to implement a series of measures, including airspace management reform, industrial chain investment, and the commercialization of applications, with the goal of expanding the related industry's scale to 10 billion yuan ($1.44 billion) by the end of 2030.
