On December 22, 2025, the NDRC released the Statistical Classification of the Low-Altitude Economy and Its Core Industries (Trial) (No. 1676 [2025]).
The document defines the scope of the low-altitude economy and establishes a structured framework covering four major sectors:
It also identifies core industry segments related to aircraft manufacturing, flight operations, infrastructure, communication, navigation, surveillance, and safety systems.
The classification is intended to improve statistical monitoring, clarify industrial boundaries, and support policymaking and market development across the low-altitude sector.
This release marks a key step in formalizing the low-altitude economy as a structured industry.
Notably, the framework explicitly includes low-altitude safety and protection systems, covering detection, identification, interference, and interception. This highlights the growing importance of counter-UAS capabilities within the broader ecosystem.
At the same time, the inclusion of communication, navigation, and surveillance (CNS) infrastructure reflects a shift toward system-level integration, where connectivity and data become as critical as aircraft platforms themselves.
With this classification, China is accelerating the transition of the low-altitude economy from emerging concept to standardized industry—creating clearer pathways for technology development, infrastructure deployment, and integrated solution providers.