Shanghai Accelerates Ambition to Become the World's eVTOL Capital
6 Jan 2026
Shanghai is decisively moving from strategic planning to the industrial implementation of the low-altitude economy, with the explicit goal of positioning itself as the “world’s eVTOL capital.”
Municipal authorities recently released the “Shanghai Measures to Accelerate the Construction of an Advanced Manufacturing Cluster for the Low-Altitude Economy in the Yangtze River Delta,” establishing quantifiable, phased targets for the first time. By 2028, the value of major low-altitude industries is expected to reach approximately 80 billion yuan, accompanied by a comprehensive industrial chain system for next-generation aircraft.
The plan includes:
- Attracting and developing leading aircraft manufacturers.
- Establishing serial production capacity for more than 500 new aircraft.
- Mobilizing more than 20 billion yuan in new investments within the industrial chain.
The consolidation of a national advanced manufacturing cluster focused on eVTOLs, industrial drones, and new energy general aviation aircraft.
These measures reinforce the Low Altitude Economy Action Plan 2024–2027, published in 2024, and mark a clear transition from the conceptual phase to commercialization, scale-up manufacturing, and certification. The approach prioritizes regional collaboration with the Yangtze River Delta to integrate R&D, manufacturing, testing, airworthiness, and operational scenario deployment.
The policy also introduces direct financial support for R&D and certification, reducing the risks associated with the most capital-intensive phases, such as intermediate verification and airworthiness, considered key bottlenecks for the eVTOL industry.
With a robust aerospace industrial base, highly concentrated talent, and a coordinated strategy across the city, districts, and region, Shanghai aims to establish a replicable model for eVTOL industrialization, aligned with the objectives of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–2030) and the expansion of the low-altitude economy as a national strategic sector.
Source and Credits to European Central Station
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