From the Spring Festival Gala to the County Town Classroom: How the County Drone Industry Is Taking Off

In the spring of 2026, China’s low-altitude economy is ushering in new opportunities.

On February 16th, at the Spring Festival Gala in Hefei, 22,580 drones took to the sky, setting a Guinness World Record; a cluster of 16 autonomous “air taxis” lit up the stage; in Yibin, thousands of miles away, industrial-grade drones flew at low altitude, and eVTOL water airports made their debut. This visual feast blending technology and aesthetics allowed hundreds of millions of viewers to directly feel that the low-altitude economy has moved from policy documents into everyday visibility.

Just one week before the Gala, on February 10th, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and four other departments jointly issued the “Implementation Opinions on Strengthening the Capacity Building of the Information and Communication Industry to Support the Development of Low-Altitude Infrastructure,” clearly stating that by 2027, the coverage rate of ground mobile communication networks on low-altitude public routes nationwide will not be less than 90%.

Following that, on February 12th, the “Implementation Opinions on Promoting High-Quality Development of Low-Altitude Insurance” was released, proposing to establish a mandatory liability insurance system for unmanned aircraft by early 2027.

The dense policy signals, combined with the visual impact of the Spring Festival Gala, sketch a clear outline of the low-altitude economy in 2026.

However, beyond the grand narrative, what is the reality of the drone training industry—the sector closest to ordinary people?

During the Year of the Horse Spring Festival, a reporter from the Science and Technology Innovation Board Daily visited Huayue Aviation Training Center in Haifeng County, Shanwei, Guangdong Province. This drone training base, operating for nearly a year, offers a microcosm of how this industry is taking root in county areas.

Low-Altitude Layout by Returning Entrepreneurs: From “Zero Students in Three Months” to “Awakening of Commercial Demand”

The founding of Huayue Aviation Training Center coincided with a turning point in drone management policies.

In early 2024, when founder Cai Xianming decided to enter the drone training field from smart home products, the “Interim Regulations on the Flight Management of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles” (hereinafter referred to as the “Regulations”) had just been officially implemented. However, in the first three months after opening, despite numerous inquiries, no one signed up.

“At that time, many people thought, just buy a drone and fly it, why get certified?” Cai Xianming told the Science and Technology Innovation Board Daily. Even now, many still hold this misconception.

This perception is a true reflection of the current consumer-side understanding of the drone industry.

The Regulations officially took effect on January 1, 2024, marking the start of an era where drone management is based on clear laws. Meanwhile, starting December 2025, the Ministry of Public Security launched a special campaign called “Clear Sky” to crack down on illegal drone flights. The newly revised “Public Security Administration Punishment Law” also explicitly included unapproved drone flights within the scope of administrative penalties. In May of the same year, two national mandatory standards—“Real-Name Registration and Activation Requirements for Civil Unmanned Aerial Vehicles” and “Operational Identification Norms for Civil Unmanned Aircraft Systems”—were formally implemented.

However, a series of policies aimed at “supporting” the industry have been simplified in online dissemination into panic signals like “flying drones will be caught” or “penalties for exceeding 120 meters,” which not only worsens public misunderstanding but also triggered a second-hand drone resale wave.

Cai Xianming believes that the current market education is in a rather “chaotic” stage. The flexible enforcement period and the amplification effect of online media have created a gap between policy implementation and public perception. “Even now, when we do science popularization on short video platforms and explain the new regulations, some comments still say, ‘Actually, no need to take the test, no one cares.’”

Although consumer awareness has not fully caught up, the compliance needs of the business side have quietly awakened. “Since the new regulations came into effect in January, some companies and commercial drone teams have proactively come to inquire about licensing,” Cai observed.

Currently, in Shanwei, Guangdong, there are about five qualified drone training institutions, each with different training models.

One is the “fast-track” model, where students enter, practice on question banks and simulators, and can directly fly medium-sized drones, then take exams after about ten days. Another is the comprehensive training system Huayue Aviation is trying to build. After registering for a medium license, students start with small drones, gradually progressing, learning not only flying but also assembling drones and understanding structural principles. After passing exams, the center offers application courses, teaching operational skills like transportation and plant protection, with the entire cycle lasting about a month and a half.

“Just getting a certificate, many people won’t actually operate the drone in practice, let alone know how to repair it,” said Jiang Xulong, chief instructor at Huayue Aviation. “Each drone has different parameters and performance, and the core value of systematic training is to cultivate pilots’ emergency handling abilities. When a drone malfunctions and risks crashing or flying into crowds, professional emergency response is crucial.”

Moreover, Cai Xianming believes that the core task of training institutions should not be limited to certification but should include ongoing science popularization in communities and towns. “If you just train people and send them out, that’s a half-finished project.” Currently, the drone market is still in the early stage of market education. Only when supporting low-altitude economic jobs truly take root will training demand explode.

How Can the Low-Altitude Economy Take Root in Counties?

While training bases like Huayue Aviation quietly operate in county towns, an important question arises: where do the trained pilots go? Without a complete employment loop, drone certification training remains an empty promise.

The Guangdong Province “High-Quality Development Action Plan for Low-Altitude Economy (2024–2026)” explicitly states that by 2026, the province’s low-altitude economy scale should surpass 300 billion yuan, actively expanding low-altitude application scenarios, including building low-altitude smart logistics systems, developing new urban air mobility formats, creating aviation emergency rescue systems, empowering the “Hundred Thousand and Ten Thousand” projects, and cultivating emerging low-altitude consumption industries.

Currently, the application scenarios of low-altitude economy in counties are expanding in a diversified manner, gradually integrating into various aspects of local production and life, providing employment opportunities for professional pilots.

In the tourism and cultural integration sector, “low-altitude + entertainment” has become the most direct landing form. During holidays, drone formations over scenic spots in counties have become a popular attraction, with light shows combined with local cultural elements shaping a new night-time economy.

In logistics and delivery, “low-altitude + logistics” shows great potential, especially in mountainous areas and third- and fourth-tier cities with significant population outflow. As traditional logistics costs continue to rise, drone transportation is seen as a feasible solution to the “last mile” delivery challenge, improving efficiency for agricultural products entering cities and industrial goods going to rural areas.

In public services, “low-altitude + government” is becoming a new tool for grassroots governance. Police patrols, emergency command, river inspection, and other scenarios increasingly demand drone pilots. Through government procurement of services, a group of professional pilots can achieve stable employment outside the formal system.

In labor-short agricultural counties, “low-altitude + agriculture” has become a rigid demand—covering land surveying, precise plant protection, fertilization, and crop monitoring—redefining modern agricultural production. Additionally, in eastern coastal areas, “low-altitude + marine” applications are emerging, including cross-sea patrols, marine aquaculture monitoring, and shoreline patrols, opening new operational spaces for drones.

It is important to note that the implementation of these scenarios still heavily depends on government coordination. “It requires the government to lead, establish testing bases, general airports, or low-altitude logistics parks. If private enterprises invest in low-altitude infrastructure themselves, the operating costs are too high and not very feasible,” Cai Xianming said.

The Science and Technology Innovation Board Daily also noted that Huayue Aviation Training Center and others have begun to interact with local governments, such as providing skills training for veterans and active military personnel in Haifeng County, organizing students for basic farmland drone plant protection operations, and conducting public science lectures at community colleges. These practices align with local governance needs and help build a practical foundation for policy support.

Meanwhile, the five national departments issued the “Implementation Opinions on Strengthening the Capacity Building of the Information and Communication Industry to Support Low-Altitude Infrastructure Development” on February 10th, explicitly proposing to develop typical low-altitude application scenarios in urban governance, logistics, tourism, and other fields. This policy direction confirms the current logic of county-level low-altitude economy: the government sets the stage, policies pave the way, and the market gradually enters in an orderly manner.

From the intensive introduction of national policies to the quiet emergence of county markets, the low-altitude economy is moving from top-level design to grassroots practice. The drone training base in Haifeng is a microcosm of how emerging industries are taking root at the county level, facing recognition challenges, exploring training models, and contemplating employment loops—true reflections of how the low-altitude economy is growing at the grassroots.

When policies, markets, and talent resonate together, this industry spring breeze can truly blow across every corner.

(Article source: Caixin)