In context
In 2025, the low-altitude economy—encompassing manned and unmanned aircraft operations below 1,000 meters—was gaining momentum globally as a strategic industry. China had recently established a dedicated Low-Altitude Economy Development Department and set ambitious market targets, making a systematic review of autonomous aircraft technologies timely for manufacturers and integrators.
What was reported
The review, published in the journal Robot, outlines the current state and future directions of autonomous aircraft in low-altitude applications. It identifies key technical areas: aircraft configuration, energy management, perception and positioning, efficient communication, task planning, cooperative control, safety management, and airspace planning. The authors emphasize that existing systems are mostly designed for single aircraft with simple tasks, lacking the capability for large-scale, coordinated operations in complex urban environments.
Typical applications span logistics, urban governance, precision agriculture, emergency rescue, surveying, energy inspection, and military use. For instance, autonomous aircraft enable rapid delivery in remote areas and last-mile logistics, while in agriculture they support precision spraying and monitoring. The review notes that non-cooperative targets, such as lost-signal or unauthorized drones, pose safety risks, requiring comprehensive low-altitude sensing and avoidance.
Market projections cited include China's low-altitude economy reaching 3.5 trillion yuan by 2035, with eVTOL aircraft alone accounting for about 500 billion yuan. The EH216-S, a passenger eVTOL, received its type certificate in 2023, marking a milestone for commercial operations.
Why it mattered
This review provided a structured reference for engineers and system integrators, highlighting the gap between current single-aircraft autonomy and the demands of scalable, safe low-altitude operations. It underscored the need for breakthroughs in cooperative control and airspace management, which are critical for enabling the low-altitude economy's growth and its integration into industrial automation.
“To improve flight efficiency, reduce operating costs, and enhance safety, while adapting to complex low-altitude environments and multi-task scheduling demands, autonomous aircraft with autonomous flight capabilities can be adopted.”
Source: 《机器人》期刊 (robot.sia.cn) · Published 2025-06-09 · “自主飞行器技术及其在低空经济中的应用综述”