‘Flying Cars’ Are Part of China’s New Economic Growth Plan

文章预览

China is targeting a new economic growth driver by opening up the skies to drones and helicopters. By Li Xin and Li Miaoran The white drone took off from a platform floating off Shanghai’s coast and zoomed out to sea, returning with a cargo hold full of fresh seafood. The flights to islands 130 kilometers away have cut what used to be an overnight ferry journey down to three hours, meaning fish that previously had to be frozen can now reach restaurants with more of their flavor intact. The service is popular among businesses with a “higher requirement for food quality,” said Sun Biao, a sales director of Phoenix Wings, whose drones have completed 800,000 flights across China. Drone deliveries are a small slice of a nearly hundred-billion-dollar market taking off in China based on new aviation technology — also including small planes and helicopters — which is getting serious support from the central authorities. China’s government wants what it calls the “low-altitude ………………………………