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Get Ready: Low-altitude Economy Is Here
China is among the fastest-growing countries in the global low-altitude economy. According to CCID Consulting, the market of this sector reached RMB 505.95 billion, experiencing a rapid rise of 33.8%. The potential for further development of China's low-altitude economy is significant. The Civil Aviation Administration of China projects that the market will grow to RMB 1.5 trillion by 2025 and RMB 3.5 trillion by 2035.
Source: Adsale Plastics Network（www.AdsaleCPRJ.com）
Low-altitude economy focuses on a range of economic activities within airspace below 1,000 meters, including passenger transport, delivery, surveying, and rescue operations, utilizing various flight vehicles. It fosters economic growth through technological innovation and industrial integration.
This new economic model encourages industrial development across industries such as manufacturing, agriculture, logistics, tourism, and emergency rescue. Meanwhile, it stimulates the demand for vehicle batteries, innovative materials, communication systems, and others in both the upstream and downstream supply chains, thereby boosting new quality productive forces.
In agricultural applications, drones are used for sowing, pest control, irrigation, and monitoring. This technology offers high precision and efficiency without landscape limitations, greatly benefiting large-scale agricultural production.
In China, logistics companies have established delivery routes in cities like Shenzhen and Shanghai. Drone deliveries have been fully integrated into daily life. According to the Transport Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality, 77 new drone routes were introduced in 2023, bringing the total to 156 routes and surpassing 600,000 flights for the year.
Among low-altitude flight vehicles, electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircrafts, small drones, and certain light aircrafts are powered by electricity. To reduce weight, enhance safety, and prolong battery life, these flight vehicles require lighter, stronger, and more durable materials. Thermoplastic composite materials with outstanding performance can be pivotal in advancing the low-altitude economy, paving the way for broader applications in the future.
Thermoplastic composites are materials based on thermoplastic resins as a matrix, reinforced with materials such as carbon fiber, glass fiber, and aramid fiber to enhance their mechanical properties. Compared to thermosetting composites, thermoplastic composites generally exhibit higher impact resistance and toughness, while also offering more flexibility in the manufacturing process.
Based on the data from Stratview Research, a market intelligence company, the demand for thermoplastic composites in eVTOL aircrafts is projected to grow significantly. It is expected to increase from approximately 500 tons in 2024 to 11,750 tons by 2030, representing a remarkable 22.5-fold increase over just six years.
Due to light weight, high strength, and resistance to high temperatures and corrosion, carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites have emerged as the main material for low-altitude flight vehicles, effectively replacing metals. Compared to conventional steel, aluminum alloys, and titanium alloys, carbon fiber composites offer at least nine times greater tensile strength and four times higher elastic modulus.
They also exhibit outstanding conformability to meet the requirements for complex designs. For instance, eVTOL aircrafts are given stringent requirements regarding appearance, structure, aesthetics, safety, and aerodynamics.
According to the data from Stratview Research, over 90% of the composites used in eVTOL aircraft are carbon fiber reinforced. Of these carbon fiber composites, 75%-80% are used in critical components, including vehicle body, wings, and propellers.
Samson Sky plans to use carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic resin-based composites (CFRTP) for its Switchblade flying sports car. This recyclable, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly material offers significant advantages over traditional epoxy resin-based composites. Notably, the production waste of CFRTP can be recycled and repurposed for non-structural components, effectively reducing waste during the manufacturing process. XPENG AEROHT is a leading eVTOL aircraft manufacturer in China. In its X2 series, the propeller is made of layered carbon fiber, which only scratches upon collision with hard objects, ensuring flying safety is not affected. The landing gear primarily uses carbon fiber for structural strength, while glass fiber adds flexibility for vibration absorption.
In addition to carbon fiber composites, various materials including glass fiber composites, aramid fiber composites, and foamed plastics are used in low-altitude flight vehicles.
Glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites possess properties such as light weight, high electrical insulation, excellent corrosion resistance, and superior transmittance. As a result, they are commonly used in aviation parts that require exceptional transmittance, including radomes and fairings.
In low-altitude flight vehicles, glass fiber composites are mainly used in structural parts, such as the vehicle body and wings, as well as in radomes and fairings.
Aramid fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites offer high strength, rigidity, temperature resistance, light weight, dimensional stability, radiation resistance, and excellent transmittance. These materials are used in high-end aviation equipment, particularly for structural parts that support heavy loading and outstanding transmittance.
Commonly used in the aviation sector, aramid honeycomb composites are made with aramid fiber arranged in a unique honeycomb structure inspired by nature. Through precise processing, this sandwich material achieves a lightweight design with high strength, while the outer layer is composed of carbon fiber composites.
Furthermore, other sandwich materials, such as foamed plastics, are used in the inner structure of low-altitude flight vehicles due to their low density, vibration absorption, and soundproof qualities. Common foamed plastics include polyurethane (PU), polystyrene (PS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
In December 2023, the Chinese government identified low-altitude economy as a national strategic emerging industry. In 2024, it proposed specific demands for the development of this sector. Currently, around 30 provinces in China have included the low-altitude economy in their work reports or related policies.
Shenzhen, in particular, is recognized as the “Drone Capital of China”. The city boasts a comprehensive supply chain for low-altitude economy, with strengths in new energy, advanced materials, and high-end equipment manufacturing. By 2026, Shenzhen plans to construct over 1,200 take-off and landing platforms for air taxis and drones. Besides, within the next three years, it will establish more than 10,000 communication base stations to support a citywide information network for the low-altitude economy.
Despite the huge opportunities, the development of low-altitude economy faces challenges such as airspace management, flight safety, and the need for improved regulations. For the plastics and rubber industry, the expanding use of low-altitude flight vehicles will increase the requirements for material performance. Consequently, continuous advancements in materials research and development are necessary to keep pace with the growth of the low-altitude economy.
