As the prime forum of the 13th China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition, 2021 China International Unmanned Equipment Conference was held in Zhuhai on Sept 28.

Under the theme of Innovation and Changes Led by Unmanned Equipment Development, professionals gave enlightening speeches about their latest study on different subjects at this meeting.

Liu Daxiang, an academician from Chinese Academy of Engineering, shared his report labelled Historic New Opportunities for UAV Are Coming. "UAV will be developed into air combat robots, serving as the main force in air combat," Liu said.

Chen Zhijie, another academician from Chinese Academy of Engineering, delivered a speech called: Help New Air Traffic Modes to Emerge with the Building of Urban Digital Low Altitude Airspace Systems. He reckoned that the development of UAVs, inevitably, would bring fundamental changes to traffic systems. Only those countries who are well-prepared for this trend would be able to take predominance in this field.

Wu Mingxi, chief scientist of China North Industries Group Co Ltd and deputy secretary general of Science & Technology Commission of Ministry of Education, gave a speech on Military Application and Trend of Unmanned Equipment. "Artificial intelligence has outshone manned aircraft, so special attention should be given to anti-stealth and anticlimax, which will be in the spotlight," Wu addressed.

Ma Hongzhong, director of 302 Institute from China Aerospace Science and Industry Co Ltd (3rd Research Institute) and chairman of Hiwing Aviation General Equipment Co Ltd gave a report about the Technological Development and Application of High-altitude, High-speed and Long-endurance UAV System, where a systematic introduction on overall development and technology about high altitude, high speed and long endurance of drones was given.

"Unmanned equipment has seen an increasing demand in China. Taking drones for instance, the output value of civil UAV market exceeded 15.4 billion yuan in 2016, reached 23 billion yuan in 2017, and continued to grow by more than 60 billion yuan in 2020, with an average annual growth rate of more than 40 percent. The development and application of unmanned equipment has evolved into a new highlight and growth point of China's economic innovation and will be another pride of China." Wu Yueguang, an academician from Chinese Academy of Engineering shared.

In the end, Luka Curcio, founder of Drone Alliance Europe (DAE), delivered his report entitled Analysis on the Market and Development of Drones in Europe by video.

This conference was jointly hosted by Zhuhai Executive Committee of the China Air Show and Chinese Society for Optical Engineering, and organized by China UAV Industry Innovation Alliance (CUIIA) and Defense Standards Innovation Alliance and Zhuhai Airshow Co Ltd.