Dongguan's low-altitude economy is "taking off at an accelerated pace." On July 3, Dongguan officially launched its 2025 Low-Altitude Application Scenario Conference, signaling a major leap forward in building a "City of Low-Altitude Applications." The event brought together over 400 guests, including experts, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders from across the Greater Bay Area and beyond, showcasing Dongguan’s momentum in this emerging sector.

As a powerhouse in advanced manufacturing, Dongguan has in recent years embraced the low-altitude economy, a rapidly growing industry centered around drone applications and airspace innovation. The city’s Implementation Plan for Promoting the High-Quality Development of the Low-Altitude Economy in Dongguan (2024-2026) positions low-altitude development as a strategic engine for high-quality economic growth.

During the event, a series of major cooperation agreements were signed between Dongguan government departments, universities, and tech enterprises, including partnerships with Shenzhen Low-altitude Economy Industry Association and China AOPA. These collaborations aim to strengthen industry integration, innovation, and application rollout.

Dongguan also unveiled the 2025 Low-Altitude Opportunity List, featuring 37 key scenarios in sectors such as logistics, emergency response, aerial mapping, agriculture, and smart city management. The city aims to create at least 100 demonstrative application scenarios within one year, turning innovative concepts into real-world use cases, from drone-powered firefighting and inspections to aerial tourism and "minute-handling" public services.

Officials emphasized Dongguan's strategy: releasing scene-based opportunity lists regularly, offering dedicated scenario matchmaking support, and scaling up successful pilots into citywide solutions. The goal is to connect "capabilities with needs," making Dongguan a fertile ground for low-altitude breakthroughs.

From cleaning skyscraper windows with drones in Xiegang town, to piloting intercity low-altitude logistics routes in the Water Town zone, Dongguan is combining local manufacturing strength with regional innovation to write a new chapter in aerial economy. As one organizer put it: "We're not just flying higher, we're flying smarter. And Dongguan is ready to lead the way."