China's low-altitude economy reaches a milestone: first batch of domestically produced airship commercial operation licenses issued

Foreign Media: China's low-altitude economy reaches a milestone as the Civil Aviation Administration issues the first domestic commercial pilot licenses to four homegrown airship pilots, filling a talent gap.

These pilots completed over 400 takeoffs and landings using the domestically produced AS700 "Xiangyun" airship, which received certification at the end of last year and has entered mass production. Currently, the AS700 has secured 44 orders; assuming each aircraft requires 2–3 pilots, existing orders alone demand approximately 100 licensed pilots—highlighting an urgent talent shortage.

Mainly designed for tourism and sightseeing, this airship is expected to expand into applications such as geological surveying, urban security surveillance, and aerial patrols during large-scale events. AVIC states that this move lays the foundation for independent development of the airship industry and high-quality growth in China’s low-altitude economy.

Original Article: toutiao.com/article/1864636006746115/

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