Two mandatory national standards, "Requirements for Real-Name Registration and Activation of Civil Unmanned Aerial Vehicles" and "Specifications for Operational Identification of Civil Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems," organized by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), have been approved and released by the State Administration for Market Regulation (Standardization Administration). These standards will officially take effect on May 1, 2026, promoting safer, healthier, and more orderly industry development.
The first standard applies to real-name registration and activation management for drones operating or conducting related activities within China. It defines the relationships, processes, technical requirements, and testing methods for drone systems, producer systems, and registration systems in handling "registration" and "activation" statuses, while standardizing data interactions between systems. The second standard mandates that drone systems actively transmit operational identification data—such as identity, location, speed, and status—throughout their flight operations. It provides detailed technical requirements for identification transmission, communication links, and reception, establishing unified standards for design, production, testing, and operation.
According to a CICC research report, drones are reshaping the engineering operations and maintenance ecosystem in China's vast infrastructure market. From automated power grid inspections and high-risk railway/road assessments to smart energy pipeline monitoring and telecom base station maintenance, drones are overcoming spatial and efficiency limitations while reducing labor costs and safety risks. The report highlights investment opportunities arising from the strategic synergy between low-altitude economy and infrastructure development.
The low-altitude economy, encompassing drones, eVTOLs, helicopters, and traditional fixed-wing aircraft, represents a new productive force. Data shows that 969 Chinese companies have registered 3,191 drone models (over 4.78 million units) in the civil unmanned aerial vehicle product information system. The CAAC projects the industry's scale to grow at a CAGR exceeding 25%, potentially reaching RMB 1.5 trillion by 2025 and RMB 3.5 trillion by 2035.
Recent policy support includes Shenzhen's release of two group standards for low-altitude communication networks and drone traffic management in December, while the State Council prioritized low-altitude economy in unmanned systems expansion in November. The Ministry of Transport also identified 23 application scenarios across logistics, operations, and emergency response.
Southwest Securities notes that China's 15th Five-Year Plan emphasizes aerospace and low-altitude economy development, with state-owned enterprises establishing specialized companies. CITIC Securities highlights the sector's trillion-RMB potential by 2030, anticipating infrastructure growth in satellite, aircraft, air traffic management, and computing power.
Key concept stocks: - AVICHINA (02357): Flagship aviation tech firm controlling four A-share listed companies in helicopters, trainer aircraft, and avionics. - ZTE (00763): Actively advancing integrated communication-sensing-computing-intelligence technologies, recently completing 5G-A sensing system trials. - XPENG-W (09868): Opened China's first comprehensive low-altitude flight camp in Guangzhou, planning a global "SkyPort" 6S store for flying cars. - GAC GROUP (02238): Successfully test-flew its composite-wing flying car GOVY AirJet, featuring vertical takeoff/landing capabilities for urban environments.
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