A drone undergoes a low-altitude test flight in Xiqing district, Tianjin. [Photo/WeChat account: TjXqgov]
The Xiqing Comprehensive Low-Altitude Flight Test Site has secured 43.5 square kilometers of contiguous test airspace and a 600-meter true altitude flight ceiling.
As the low-altitude test zone nearest to Tianjin's urban area, the test site now offers the largest area and highest altitude in the region, addressing the shortage of mid-to-high-end low-altitude flight testing resources in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area.
After a year of operation, the original 8-square-kilometer airspace with a 300-meter ceiling could no longer meet testing demands.
The newly approved airspace is nearly five times larger and twice as high, accommodating a full range of low-altitude aircraft, including light and industrial drones, logistics and delivery drones, mapping and inspection drones, and electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft.
Notably, the site is one of the few in China to integrate intelligent connected vehicle testing with low-altitude flight testing. Leveraging the industrial foundation of Xiqing's national-level connected vehicle pilot zone, it provides a unique ecosystem that combines ground and air testing.
With the airspace approval, the site will enhance its communication, navigation, monitoring, and emergency response infrastructure. Over 10 low-altitude equipment companies, including Shangfei Aviation, have already partnered with the site for upcoming tests.
This airspace breakthrough provides a convenient testing platform for Tianjin's low-altitude equipment companies and is expected to attract more enterprises along the industrial chain from the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
Moving forward, Xiqing district aims to further integrate low-altitude flight testing with intelligent connectivity, logistics, emergency response, and low-altitude tourism, supporting the development of a national low-altitude economy demonstration zone.