(Yicai) July 18 -- China’s burgeoning low‑altitude economy is serving as the catalyst for bringing domestically developed aircraft engines into commercial service, with low‑altitude vehicles equipped with them winning large orders at home and abroad.

Hangjing Innovation has shipped 500 of its 200 kilogram-class unmanned helicopters, Chief Brand Officer Song Yang told Yicai today at the 12th GTF Aerospace Power and Gas Turbine Focus Conference and Exhibition, which is being held in Shanghai.

The aircraft has a mission payload capacity of 50kg and can be used in fields such as forest fire prevention, inspection, and patrols. As well as domestic buyers, Hangjing Innovation has received orders from overseas, including market such as the Middle East and Southeast Asia, Song said.

China has been quickly building out its low‑altitude economy, which encompasses all civil aviation activities below about 1,000 meters, including drones, electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles, and small manned craft, spanning manufacturing, flight services, maintenance, and support infrastructure. The country has prioritized indigenous aircraft engines.

“What truly determines aircraft performance is the engine,” Luo Na, general manager of Shandong-based supplier Bolu Aerospace Technology Co, told Yicai. Engines account for 20 percent to 30 percent of the total cost of low-altitude craft, Luo noted. “The biggest advantage of domestic aero engines is their low cost,” he said.

China’s manufacturing sector benefits from low labor costs and a mature industrial chain, he said, adding that all the links are well-established, from raw material procurement to highly complex manufacturing processes. This makes Chinese-made aviation power products highly cost-effective in the international market.

Manufacturers such as Hangjing Innovation and EHang Holdings have secured orders worldwide, particularly in the Middle East and SE Asia, by offering lower‑cost solutions backed by local support.

Song said Chinese aircraft products have a reputation in the Middle East for being easy to use, affordable, and supported by 24/7 service, which are the key factors behind their success in overseas markets.

China’s commercial aero‑engine market will see explosive growth over the next 20 years, with cumulative deliveries projected to reach 19,000 units and a market value in excess of USD300 billion, accounting for more than a fifth of the global market, according to a forecast by Aviation Industry Corporation of China.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Tom Litting