Cooperation key to low-altitude aviation growth

Closer cooperation among research institutes, universities and companies will be key to translating technological advances into wider industrial applications in China's fast-growing low-altitude economy, experts said at an industry meeting in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province.

The 2026 Vertical Take-Off and Landing Aircraft Conference was held in Jingdezhen on Saturday. On the same day, the 2026 annual meeting of a consortium dedicated to new energy vertical takeoff and landing aircraft and a symposium on rotorcraft innovation and development brought together representatives from across the aviation industrial chain.

Founded in September 2024, the consortium had 180 members at its annual meeting last year and has now expanded to more than 210. Thirty-three organizations joined this year, covering areas including testing and certification, telecommunications, industrial software, universities and key aircraft systems.

Sun Yize, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said the development of new energy vertical takeoff and landing aircraft involves much more than creating new aircraft.

"What they bring is a systematic restructuring of design, manufacturing and airworthiness systems," Sun said.

He called for greater efforts to tackle key technologies and strengthen cooperation in standard setting, resource sharing and risk management, while promoting the safe and sustainable development of the sector.

Deng Pingyu, head of the AVIC China Helicopter Research and Development Institute and chairman of the consortium, said long-term development requires stronger cooperation across the industrial chain.

"The long-term development of the industry depends on a complete and independently controllable ecosystem, rather than breakthroughs in individual products," Deng said.

He said the institute will work with other members to identify common technological needs in areas such as propulsion, flight control and airworthiness, while opening more testing, verification, database and expert resources to the industry.

The meeting also saw the release of six joint innovation outcomes, covering such areas as pilot-scale testing platforms, electric propulsion systems and high-performance materials.

A list of technological challenges was also released under an open competition mechanism, inviting participants to work together on bottlenecks in electric propulsion, new energy power systems and intelligent flight. The resulting technologies will be shared across the industry.

Five companies signed agreements to move into a rotorcraft manufacturing innovation center in Jiangxi, where they will have access to pilot-scale testing and concept verification facilities.

Jingdezhen, better known globally for its porcelain, also has a long-established aviation industry.

Gao Xiaoyun, vice-mayor of Jingdezhen, said the city has developed an industrial chain covering aircraft research and development, manufacturing and operational support.

The city will continue to open application scenarios, including low-altitude tourism, emergency rescue and urban inspection, he said.