GOVT SET FOR LOW-ALTITUDE ECONOMY

The Government is exploring ways to promote low-altitude flying activities and will implement low-altitude economy pilot projects in a gradual and orderly manner, Acting Secretary for Transport & Logistics Liu Chun-san said today.

Replying to lawmakers’ questions at the Legislative Council, Mr Liu noted that the concepts of a low-altitude economy and low-altitude flying activities, which are centrally driven by Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), have gained widespread attention in the Mainland and internationally in recent years.

To tie in with the overall national development strategies, the Government will work on various fronts to capitalise on the Mainland’s strengths and promote a low-altitude economy as one of the growth engines of new quality productive forces.

Mr Liu pointed out that the overall development of a low-altitude economy is a huge systematic project requiring co-ordination in regulations, formulation of aviation safety policies, technological research and development, infrastructural support, land planning and commercial applications.

To support the development of a low-altitude economy, the Transport & Logistics Bureau (TLB) has been working closely with the relevant bureaus and departments to co-ordinate and remove barriers under different policy areas.

At the same time, the TLB and the Civil Aviation Department are actively exploring ways to promote low-altitude flying activities from the perspectives of regulations, technical requirements and airspace management.

At present, the International Civil Aviation Organization has yet to formulate international standards and recommended practices for AAM.

In order to ensure that a legal framework is in place for AAM operation and applications in the long run, the Government will review the existing civil aviation and other relevant legislation and regulatory regimes so as to support the latest development of a low-altitude economy.

The Government will base its review on various considerations, from aviation safety, airspace management, privacy, insurance requirements to customs, immigration and quarantine procedures for cross-boundary flying activities.

Mr Liu added that as the Northern Metropolis New Development Areas and the Kau Yi Chau Artificial Islands can provide a large amount of land and space, there is scope for these new development regions to provide the necessary land and infrastructure for promoting a low-altitude economy.

On the promotion of low-altitude economy pilot projects, Mr Liu said the Government will start with the transport of goods by unmanned aircraft, then gradually widening and enriching the application scenarios of AAMs from the near to the far, and from the light to the heavy.

Such a gradual approach is adopted as different application scenarios involve different requirements on aircraft loading, flight range, flight duration, operational reliability and safety, he explained.

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