Pudong New Area in Shanghai has witnessed significant progress in low-altitude passenger routes, bridging the spatial and temporal gap between cities in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region.

Pudong sees significant advancements in low-altitude passenger routes. [Photo/WeChat ID: pdnews]

Recently, a BELL505 helicopter, fully loaded with passengers, took off from Shanghai Pudong Software Park and landed at Linyang Industrial Park in Qidong, Jiangsu province, after a 20-minute flight. This marked the successful test flight of a cross-provincial low-altitude passenger route between Pudong and Qidong, which was developed in collaboration with Pudong Software Park and its resident enterprise Linyang Aviation.

Pudong has continuously introduced new low-altitude passenger routes. In 2024, the two-way low-altitude passenger route between Pudong and Kunshan in Jiangsu province commenced operations, and the test flight between Pudong, Jinshan, and Haining was successfully conducted. Additionally, the Huangpu River-Lujiazui low-altitude sightseeing route has completed its first night flight test.

Shanghai is leading the way in low-altitude economy as the YRD integration deepens. In August 2024, Shanghai issued a three-year plan for high-quality development of the low-altitude economy industry, to establish a comprehensive demonstration zone for the sector in collaboration with YRD cities, through industrial development, technological innovation, and policy support.

The Shanghai-Qidong route serves as the starting point of the YRD's low-altitude transportation network. Plans include opening low-altitude passenger routes with Lin-gang Special Area, Jiading, Songjiang, Jiaxing in Zhejiang province, Kunshan, and other regions, to achieve interconnection within the area. It is envisioned to construct at least 100 helicopter pads in 45 districts and counties within the YRD region, initially using helicopters and later incorporating eVTOLs (electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft) to complement airports and high-speed trains.