In a school district in Shenzhen, would-be truants dodge surveillance drones that patrol the streets. At a nearby park, office workers pick up takeaway delivered by drones from food delivery app Meituan. Elsewhere in southern China’s technology hub, unmanned aircraft transport vials of blood between hospitals, help police departments with crowd control and extinguish blazes for firefighters. For years, the government has provided strong support for drone production in the form of tax relief, subsidies and industrial parks, said multiple companies and analysts. Now, it is trying to apply them in other sectors of the economy and make drones a new driver of growth. The drone network in Shenzhen, which authorities have called a “sky city”, is at the heart of China’s efforts to grow its so-called low-altitude economy, referring to activity in airspace less than 1,000 metres above ground. For comparison, the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, is 828 metres tall. While the government and military have so far driven demand, drone makers are now seeking commercial customers. “The low-altitude economy has gradually moved from a concept to a mature application stage,” said Li Zhizhao, marketing director at Harwar, which develops drones used in schools and is also making aircraft to fight fires and inspect roads. “It’s demonstrating huge market potential.”

Full in-depth : A look at China’s efforts to grow its “low-altitude economy”, or the airspace below 1,000 meters, by leveraging its domination in drone production and drone R&D.