Han Ximin

1824295095@qq.com

SHENZHEN, renowned for its focus on the low-altitude economy, achieved a milestone in drone deliveries, surpassing 600,000 flights in 2023 and claiming the top spot among Chinese cities, data from the city’s transport bureau showed Monday.

Shenzhen opened 77 new unmanned aerial vehicle routes and established 73 new landing and takeoff points for unmanned aerial vehicles last year. It  also initiated infrastructure construction for low-altitude smart integration and started building digital infrastructure such as the Smart Integrated Low Airspace System (SILAS), which consists of the Internet of Airspace, Internet of Navigating Routes, and Network of Services.

At the end of 2023, the city implemented measures to support the development of the low-altitude economy, aiming to expand the scale of its low-altitude logistics market and open more delivery routes by offering incentives to industry players.

The added value of the city’s logistics industry reached 350 billion yuan (US$49.2 billion) in 2023, up by 6% year on year.

In another development, Shenzhen Port’s cargo throughput exceeded 280 million tons in 2023, up by 5.22% year on year. Exports of new energy vehicles at the port amounted to over 70,000 units, rising by 350%.

Meanwhile, air cargo throughput reached 1.6 million tons, up by 6.2%.