Not only has China introduced itself to the drone world by making DJI the flagship and maker of the coolest drones that have ever drones the earth, but back home, the country is determined to scale its drone economy to the levels of the other major economic sectors contributing massively to national development.
Reports from the country indicate that, as of early 2025, the total number of China's low-altitude economy-related enterprises (i.e., those with "drone", "low-altitude tourism", "eVTOL", or "low-altitude economy" in their name, business scope, or products) had passed the 77,000 landmark.
Among these, scientific research and technical service firms accounted for the largest proportion, with approximately 22,000 companies.
The numbers also show that there are over 300 major drone and eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) manufacturing enterprises across China, covering the entire chain from R&D, manufacturing, to operation.
These are manufacturers that have had the airworthiness of their drone products approved for commercial operations by the local aviation authorities.
And the nerve centre of that growth seems to be in the southern coastal province of Guangdong, with its 127million strong population and technology leading cities like the capital Guangzhou Shenzhen, where most of the drone companies have made a home.
Other notable provinces are Jiangsu Province, Sichuan Province, and Beijing, with each province creating core manufacturing clusters with significant headquarter aggregation effects.
Aside from DJI, the other two biggest drone makers in the country are EHang, the manufacturer of passenger, cargo and fire-fighting drones, as well as Phoenix Wings, which makes automated fleets of cargo drones with vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities for first-/last-mile cargo applications with a hub-to-hub concept.
“We work with partners worldwide to offer and operate drone services for local needs and applications,” the company says.
And as the hum of drones fills the lower skies in China, there's a sense that the drone space has reached new heights; even going to the extent of pushing the limits higher.
Every day from 10:30AM in Shenzhen, drones take to the skies from the port city of Qianhai to deliver parcels to neighbouring Zhongshan and Zhuhai in the Greater Bay Area.
"It takes about 30 minutes for the drone to reach Zhuhai," says Sun Zhenyang, a drone operator at Phoenix Wings.
“What used to be a hours-long road trip is now just a quick flight overhead.”
According to Heng Shilong, another drone operator at the company, Phoenix Wings currently has 168 drones actively operating in Shenzhen alone, managing 383 established routes
Daily flight trips surpass 1,000.
In other cities across the country, like Beijing, Shanghai, and northwest China's Urumqi, companies are using drones to deliver fresh food, medicine and packages – all in minutes.
Then of course, there is EHang and other drone makers developing flying taxis to create a new layer of urban transport. Add to that the other drone makers that are building drones for firefighting operations, maritime rescue and to reach places humans cannot.
“This is the other, crucial side of the low-altitude economy."
In Shenzhen, Shenzhen base United Aircraft competes with DJI and XAG in making agricultural drones, which general manager Li Xiaolong maintain are 40 to 50 times more efficient than manual labour. But what makes it so reliable?
"There are three key elements that make agricultural drones reliable,” Li explains.
“A reliable flight controller for steady operation in all conditions; a precise positioning system, like China's BeiDou system; and artificial intelligence-enabled obstacle avoidance and path planning. Together, these ensure safety and reliability."
It is this reliability is what's attracting customers worldwide to this technology.
"Our main markets are Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Last year, we exported over 1,000 agricultural drones."
With this connecting value chain, one can say the drone space, especially in Guangdong is not just one company's story; it has become an entire ecosystem, built on a cluster of 15,000 specialised firms that have so far succeeded in exporting Chinese drones to over 70 percent of the global market.
"The Greater Bay Area is a global hub for the low-altitude economy, with leading companies and a complete supply chain,” says Cao Zhongxiong, assistant president at the China Development Institute.
“It's not just a factory – it's a living lab for innovation, transforming how we handle logistics, delivery and connectivity, from cities to across borders. This model is now a template for the world."
Data from China's Civil Aviation Administration projects the country's low-altitude economy will reach a market size of 3.5 trillion yuan, or over $500 billion by 2035.
It's one of the strategic emerging industries outlined for growth in China's upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan. And with drones increasingly becoming part of everyday life, that future is no longer a distant vision.
It is already here.