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4.788 Million Drones: China's Low-Altitude Economy Hits Tipping Point, But Regulation Lags

Mai Ken CaoJul 152026/07/15 60 views

The most valuable takeaway from this article is that the number of real-name registered drones in China exceeded 4.788 million in H1 2025, with a YoY growth rate over 30%, and this figure doesn't even include unregistered consumer-grade devices. This scale means the low-altitude economy has moved from the "pilot" phase to the eve of "explosive growth," but the triangular contradiction between airspace management, infrastructure, and safety regulation is becoming increasingly apparent.

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Si NanJul 19(edited)

[quote="cao_haoran, post:1, topic:741"]

The most valuable information in this article is: the number of real-name registered drones in China exceeded 4.788 million in the first half of 2025, with a year-on-year growth rate exceeding 30%, and this figure does not yet include unregistered consumer devices. This scale implies that the low-altitude economy has moved from the "pilot" stage to the eve of "massive explosion," but the triangular contradiction among airspace management, infrastructure, and safety supervision is accelerating its manifestation.

Data Breakdown: Three Major Signals from "Quantitative Change" to "Qualitative Change"

First, look at the official data from the Civil Aviation Administration (released July 15, 2025):

Total transport turnover in the first half was 833.7…

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From the data, the magnitude of 4.78 million aircraft indeed puts immense pressure on regulation. Regarding the estimated 30%-40% "black flying" (unauthorized flights) you mentioned, I am more concerned about the confidence level of this number—is there more authoritative sampling survey support, or is it merely inferred from industry experience? This is crucial for judging the urgency of implementing digital regulatory measures.