China has initiated a trial run for a new low-altitude air route connecting Kunshan City in Jiangsu Province to Shanghai, marking a significant step in its ongoing efforts to develop its low-altitude economy. The new route, operated by Shanghai New Sky Helicopter Co., Ltd., aims to drastically cut travel time between the two cities from approximately 1.5 to 2 hours by road to just 30 minutes by air.
On August 10, a commercial helicopter completed a test flight, taking off from Kunshan’s city terminal and landing at Shanghai’s Pudong flight base in just over 30 minutes. The helicopter reached an altitude of 285 meters and a maximum speed of close to 200 kilometers per hour, demonstrating the efficiency of this new mode of transportation.
The service is expected to officially launch on August 18, with ticket prices ranging from 1,600 to 1,800 yuan (about $224 to $252) per trip. The new route is expected to attract 20,000 to 30,000 passengers annually, generating over 10 million yuan in economic benefits.
In addition to regular passenger services, Kunshan’s city terminal will become the first in China to offer inter-provincial “air-to-air” transfer services. These services will not only connect passengers to flights at Shanghai Pudong International Airport but also expand to low-altitude tourism routes to destinations such as Shanghai Disneyland, Zhoushan City in east China’s Zhejiang Province and Huangshan City in east China’s Anhui Province. Furthermore, emergency medical air transport services to major hospitals in Shanghai will also be available.
The low-altitude economy, which includes industries such as aircraft research and development, infrastructure and services for flight activities, is seeing rapid growth in China. Data from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) indicates that the scale of China’s low-altitude economy surpassed 500 billion yuan in 2023 and is projected to reach 2 trillion yuan by 2030.
The launch of this route represents a step forward in developing low-altitude air travel within the Yangtze River Delta region. As efforts to enhance the low-altitude economy continue, additional routes are anticipated to improve regional connectivity and offer new opportunities for economic growth.