Four departments: Cultivate new business formats such as air ferries and private charter flights, and form a trillion-level market scale by 2030

On March 27, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Finance, and the Civil Aviation Administration of China issued the "Implementation Plan for the Innovative Application of General Aviation Equipment (2024-2030)". Among them, it is proposed that by 2027, the mainland's general aviation equipment supply capacity and industrial innovation ability will be significantly improved, the basic support system of modern general aviation will be basically established, the efficient integration of industrial ecology will be initially formed, the general aviation public service equipment system will be basically improved, and the new general aviation equipment with unmanned, electrified and intelligent technical characteristics will be commercially applied in the fields of urban air transportation, logistics and distribution, and emergency rescue.

The full text is as follows:

Implementation Plan for the Innovative Application of General Aviation Equipment (2024-2030)

The development of general aviation manufacturing industry and the acceleration of the innovative application of general aviation equipment are important measures to shape the development of new kinetic energy and new advantages of the aviation industry and promote the development of low-altitude economy, and it is an inevitable requirement to accelerate the construction of a manufacturing power and a transportation power. In order to implement the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, and promote the exploration and practice of new industrialization in the aviation manufacturing industry, this plan is formulated.

1. General requirements

Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, fully implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, conscientiously implement the spirit of the Central Economic Work Conference and the deployment of the National Conference on the Promotion of New Industrialization, completely, accurately and comprehensively implement the new development concept, coordinate high-quality development and high-level security, adhere to innovation-driven, open and integrated, demonstration-led, and safe development, and develop with intelligence, green, and Guided by integration, guided by application scenario innovation and large-scale demonstration applications, we will accelerate the iterative upgrading of general aviation technology and equipment, build a modern general aviation advanced manufacturing cluster, create a new development model of general aviation industry with Chinese characteristics, and provide strong support for cultivating new growth poles of low-altitude economy.

Second, the main objectives

By 2027, the mainland's general aviation equipment supply capacity and industrial innovation ability will be significantly improved, the basic support system of modern general aviation will be basically established, the efficient integration of industrial ecology will be initially formed, the general aviation public service equipment system will be basically improved, and the new general aviation equipment with unmanned, electrified and intelligent technical characteristics will be commercially applied in the fields of urban air transportation, logistics and distribution, and emergency rescue.

-- The ability to innovate has been significantly improved. The development and innovation of green, intelligent and new configuration general aviation aircraft ranks at the world's advanced level, and a number of industry-university-research joint laboratories, scientific and technological innovation centers and scientific and technological innovation service platforms in the field of general aviation have been formed. The general aviation regulations and standards system and safety verification system have been basically established.

-- The demonstration application has achieved remarkable results. Aviation emergency rescue, logistics and distribution realized

Large-scale application, urban air mobility to achieve commercial operation, the formation of more than 20 replicable and promotable typical application demonstrations, to create a number of low-altitude economic application demonstration bases, the formation of a number of brand products.

-- The level of modernization of the industrial chain has been greatly improved. Build more than 10 leading enterprises in the general aviation industry chain with ecological dominance, cultivate a number of specialized, special and new "little giants" and single champion enterprises in the manufacturing industry, realize the serial development of general aviation power, and significantly enhance the supporting capacity of airborne, mission systems and supporting equipment in the modular and standardized industries.

By 2030, a new model for the development of the general aviation industry characterized by high-end, intelligent and green will be basically established, supporting and guaranteeing the "short-distance transportation + electric vertical take-off and landing" passenger transport network, the "trunk-branch-end" UAV distribution network, and the safe and efficient operation of low-altitude production operations to meet the needs of workers and farmers.

3. Key tasks

(1) Enhance the ability of industrial technological innovation

1. Accelerate breakthroughs in key core technologies. Strengthen key technology research in the fields of overall, system, software, components, and materials. Aiming at the direction of unmanned and intelligent, we will overcome core technologies such as precise positioning, perception and obstacle avoidance, autonomous flight, and intelligent cluster operation. With electrification as the main direction of attack, we will take into account the technical routes of hybrid, hydrogen power, and sustainable fuel power, accelerate the breakthrough and upgrading of avionics propulsion technology, and carry out key technological research such as efficient energy storage, energy control and management, and emission reduction and noise reduction. Strengthen the technical research of equipment safety, focus on breakthroughs in battery failure management, fall safety, data link safety and other technologies, and improve the ability to maintain airspace and be reliably monitored.

2. Improve the pedigree of general aviation equipment products. Accelerate the improvement of the technical level of general aviation equipment, and improve the reliability, economy and advancement of general aviation equipment. Promote the airworthiness certification of large and medium-sized fixed-wing aircraft, high-prototype helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and put them into operation, so as to achieve global emergency rescue capability coverage. Support the acceleration of the development, production and operation of regional logistics and terminal distribution drones. Support the development of smart air mobility (SAM) equipment, and promote the airworthiness certification of a number of new consumer general aviation equipment such as electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL). Encourage the research and development of flying car technology, product verification and exploration of commercial application scenarios. In view of the application needs of agriculture and forestry operations, industrial production, etc., we will continuously improve product competitiveness and market adaptability.

3. Build an industrial collaborative innovation platform. Focusing on technological research, innovative application, safety management, etc., we will give full play to the role of platforms such as the General Aviation Industry Innovation Alliance to promote collaborative innovation of production, education, research and application. Strengthen the construction of regional general aviation science and technology innovation service platform. For new equipment, new technologies and new fields, we will support the establishment of an innovation research center for future air traffic equipment and build a green and intelligent safety technology innovation consortium. Focus on seamless communication and surveillance, digital navigation, intelligent airspace management, etc., give full play to the role of the low-altitude intelligent networking technology alliance, and cooperate with the promotion of the layout of the low-altitude intelligent networking system.

(2) Enhance the competitiveness of the industrial chain and supply chain

4. Accelerate the serialization of general aviation power products. Accelerate the development of 200kW, 1000kW turboshaft, 1000kW turboprop and other engines, and continue to promote the batch delivery of 100-200 horsepower piston engines to achieve market scale application. Accelerate the deployment of new energy general aviation power technology and equipment, promote the mass production of 400Wh/kg aviation lithium battery products, realize the application verification of 500Wh/kg aviation lithium battery products, carry out the development of hybrid propulsion systems below 400kW, promote the large-scale mass production of aviation motors and drive systems of 250kW and below, and the application verification of 500kW products.

5. Promote the standardized and modular development of airborne, mission systems and supporting equipment. Combined with the equipment needs of aviation emergency rescue, traditional operations, logistics and distribution, etc., we will accelerate the promotion of unified standards and types, develop modular and standardized task systems, and improve product interchangeability and market compatibility. Continuously improve the lineage of shelf-based general aviation supporting products that meet airworthiness requirements, accelerate the development of low-cost small avionics systems, and promote the coordinated development of supporting equipment and aircraft platforms.

6. Cultivate high-quality and diversified business entities. Encourage leading enterprises to integrate resources, strengthen the leadership and organizational coordination of the industrial chain, supply chain and innovation chain, continuously improve the competitiveness of enterprises, improve the ability of after-sales service support, and enhance the resilience and safety level of the industrial chain. Support battery, motor and other advantageous enterprises to increase R&D investment, improve product performance, and cultivate a number of well-known brand products. Guide the general aviation equipment task system and supporting enterprises to enhance their competitiveness, and create a number of specialized, special and new "little giants" and individual champion enterprises in the manufacturing industry.

7. Build a number of advanced manufacturing clusters. Based on the development foundation and resource advantages, docking with the major national and regional strategies, in the Yangtze River Delta, Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, Chengdu-Chongqing, Jiangxi, Hunan, Shaanxi and other key regions, the construction of an integrated innovation and development industrial ecology from technology development, product development, demonstration and verification to application and promotion, to create a new type of general aviation equipment advanced manufacturing cluster with large, medium, small and micro enterprise integration, innovation elements gathering, network collaboration and efficiency, to achieve the deep integration of general aviation and local economy.

(3) Deepen demonstration and application in key areas

8. Expand the demonstration application of aviation emergency rescue. Focusing on the four major areas of aviation fire fighting, aviation rescue, public health services, and emergency communication/command, the demonstration application of aviation emergency rescue equipment will be expanded in key areas such as Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta, Northeast, Central and Western regions, and frontiers. Innovate the systematic application mode of aviation emergency rescue equipment, strengthen actual combat training, and promote the construction of an aviation emergency rescue equipment system with manned and unmanned, high and low collocation, reasonable layout and complementary functions. Accelerate the demonstration and application of unmanned aerial vehicles in the field of emergency rescue.

9. Deepen the demonstration application of air logistics distribution. Focusing on the demand for "trunk-branch-end" logistics and distribution, in key areas such as the Yangtze River Delta, Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, Sichuan and Chongqing, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Xinjiang and other key regions, encourage the development of UAV intercity transportation and terminal distribution application demonstrations, and form a large-scale and wide-ranging aviation logistics distribution equipment system. Support the research of low-altitude logistics solutions, explore new models of smart logistics, promote the networking of large-scale UAV feeder logistics, and the large-scale application of UAV distribution in emerging scenarios such as cities, villages, mountains, and islands, and promote the construction of an aviation logistics distribution network.

10. Accelerate the demonstration application of urban air mobility. To meet the needs of future urban air mobility, support the Yangtze River Delta, Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao and other key regions, focus on eVTOL to carry out application demonstrations, and support the holding of relevant events. Support a number of SAM equipment to accelerate market application, encourage the exploration of the construction of a three-dimensional transportation low-altitude route network, and focus on cultivating new forms of manned air transportation such as business travel, air ferry, and private charter flights.

11. Expand the demonstration application of new general aviation consumption. Facing the low-altitude tourism, aviation sports, private flight and business aviation consumer markets, the "general aviation +" application demonstration will be carried out in key areas such as Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Shanghai, Henan, Hunan, Hainan and Xinjiang. Encourage qualified areas to develop diversified low-altitude tourism products, and promote the application demonstration of "general aviation + tourism". Support the development of flight experience, aviation parachuting and other consumer flight activities, vigorously promote light sport aircraft, aerobatic aircraft, and promote the application demonstration of "general aviation + sports".

12. Promote the large-scale operation of traditional general aviation business. Encourage large-scale and normalized operation demonstrations in key areas such as Sichuan and Chongqing, Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Xinjiang and other key areas around traditional general aviation business areas such as aviation training, short-distance transportation, agriculture and forestry plant protection, and geophysical exploration and inspection. Promote the batch delivery and operation of short-distance passenger general aviation equipment. Encourage the expansion of the commercial application of UAVs in scenarios such as power line inspection, ecological monitoring, aerial photography and aerial survey, and aerial geophysical prospecting.

(4) Promote the construction of a basic support system

13. Promote the construction of an intelligent and efficient new operation service system. Accelerate the integration of 5G and satellite Internet, and support the exploration of low-altitude intelligent networking technologies and standards for the interconnection of space, space and ground facilities and information exchange. Promote the application of Beidou standard configuration of general aviation aircraft. Promote the coordination between governments and enterprises in pilot areas in low-altitude regulatory service infrastructure, network planning and construction, etc., and promote the opening of public information such as three-dimensional high-precision maps, meteorological data, communication and navigation. Promote the construction of a visual route network, support the improvement of operational rules, improve the aeronautical information data support mechanism, and improve the flight service support capacity. Encourage enterprises to build a flight service system integrating intelligent scheduling, dynamic monitoring, and real-time intelligence services.

14. Promote the construction of a new type of infrastructure supporting facilities system. Encourage local governments to incorporate low-altitude infrastructure into urban construction planning and strengthen the connection with urban transportation systems. Support the exploration and promotion of pilot projects for the construction of take-off and landing points on rooftops, ground, water and other scenarios, improve functional services such as navigation and positioning, communication, meteorology, and charging, and form a multi-scenario, multi-subject, and multi-level take-off and landing point network. Make full use of the existing aviation infrastructure and promote the construction of a number of intelligent, integrated and multi-purpose general aviation infrastructure. Encourage new residential and commercial buildings to reserve low-altitude infrastructure. Fully combined with the development characteristics of the general aviation industry, the study sets the airport construction standards suitable for the development of the general aviation industry.

15. Improve the system of laws and regulations. Adhere to the integration of general aviation standardization, technological innovation and application demonstration, and realize the coordinated development of national standards, industry standards, and group standards. Encourage leading enterprises to drive upstream and downstream enterprises to jointly carry out standard research, and accelerate the establishment of a standard system covering a variety of application scenarios and various types of equipment. Strengthen the cooperation between the industrial side and the airworthiness certification party, and coordinate and promote the convergence of industrial standards and airworthiness systems. Coordinate and promote the improvement of the national aircraft management system, and clarify the regulatory requirements for application scenarios.

16. Establish a security verification system. Make full use of the existing aviation industry base, accelerate the co-construction and sharing of test and verification resources, encourage and promote the establishment of general aviation airworthiness technical services and compliance verification, UAV third-party testing, testing and other capabilities, and support the construction of flight tests, application tests and other bases. Build a quality assurance and safety verification system for UAVs, strengthen the safety and reliability assessment and verification of industrial-grade UAVs and eVTOLs, and promote the formation of a number of industrial standards to support airworthiness certification. 17. Consolidate the foundation of the talent team. Support colleges and universities to strengthen the construction of general aviation-related disciplines and build a number of characteristic colleges. Focusing on the frontier and emerging cross-cutting fields of general aviation, we will deepen the integration of industry and education, and promote the joint precision cultivation of talents by universities, scientific research institutions and enterprises. Carry out the training of eVTOL pilots, operators and other professionals, and promote the formation of standards in the fields of consistent driving and control of emerging aviation equipment and pilot technical training. Encourage local governments to introduce talent support policies for the general aviation industry.

(5) Build an efficient and integrated industrial ecology

18. Promote the efficient integration of general aviation equipment manufacturing and service industry. In emerging application fields such as unmanned logistics and urban air mobility, leading enterprises are encouraged to explore and form a business model that integrates product development, scenario construction, and demonstration operation. In the field of aviation emergency rescue, encourage experienced, strong, outstanding support capabilities of general aviation operating enterprises and equipment manufacturing enterprises to cooperate efficiently, the development of professional aviation emergency rescue equipment operation platform.

19. Deepen exchanges and cooperation at home and abroad on general aviation equipment. Relying on the intergovernmental cooperation mechanism, we will promote exchanges and cooperation at home and abroad in the field of electric aircraft. Encourage general aviation enterprises to carry out R&D and design, flight verification and airworthiness certification overseas, and actively explore the international market. Strengthen docking and exchanges with international organizations, promote bilateral and multilateral cooperation, and support domestic enterprises to participate in the formulation of international rules and the revision of standards in the fields of drones and electric aircraft.

20. Explore a new model of scientific and technological financial cooperation in the general aviation equipment industry. Give full play to the policy advantages of scientific and technological innovation re-lending, and encourage financial institutions to increase support for general aviation manufacturing enterprises that meet the policy requirements. Implement the special project of "financial integration of science and technology industry", give full play to the role of the national industry and finance cooperation platform, make full use of financial means such as venture capital, and strengthen the financing support for technology research and development of the general aviation equipment industry. Promote the establishment of a general aviation equipment leasing company with diversified equity, and encourage insurance companies to innovate products and services for the whole industry chain of general aviation equipment "research, production and marketing". Encourage qualified areas to accurately guide technology, capital, talents and other elements of resources to the general aviation manufacturing enterprises to effectively gather.

Fourth, organizational guarantees

(1) Strengthen overall planning and linkage. Strengthen departmental coordination, strengthen the linkage between the central and local governments, and orderly promote the construction of the general aviation industry and resource guarantee. Give full play to local advantages, combine local basic conditions and potential needs, and actively explore in the application demonstration of general aviation equipment, the construction of industrial clusters, the cultivation of industrial ecology, and the formulation of industrial policies. Establish an expert committee on the innovation and development of the general aviation industry to strengthen the research, decision-making support and consulting services for the development strategy of the general aviation industry.

(2) Increase policy support. Give full play to the role of the first (set) major technical equipment insurance compensation policy, and support the promotion and application of general aviation equipment. Give full play to the role of government procurement, and increase the procurement of general aviation equipment and services. Implement the relevant requirements of the State Council on the approval of investment in aviation projects, and standardize the investment approval procedures for general aviation projects. Research and expand the supply and standardized use of UAV radio frequencies in urban air mobility and other application fields as needed.

(3) Create a good atmosphere. Give full play to the role of industry organizations, strengthen cooperation and exchanges at home and abroad, inside and outside the industry, promote the development of the upstream and downstream of the industrial chain, strengthen the publicity of laws and regulations, and strengthen industry self-discipline. Guide the forces of all parties, standardize the development of high-level general aviation exhibitions, forums, and events, and regularly organize supply and demand matchmaking meetings. Develop aviation science education and vigorously cultivate general aviation consumer culture.