The documents build upon the national Interim Regulations on Unmanned Aircraft Flight Management that have been in force across China since January 1, 2024.

While the national rules require real‑name registration and define categories of airspace, the Beijing regulation goes further by designating the entire municipality as controlled airspace and imposing additional local prohibitions on sale, storage, and transport.

The measures consist of one primary regulation and three supporting administrative rules.

The core legislation, Beijing Municipal Regulations on the Management of Unmanned Aircraft, was adopted on March 27 by the Standing Committee of the Beijing Municipal People’s Congress.

It designates all of Beijing as controlled airspace for drones, requiring prior application and official approval for any outdoor flight.

The regulation also imposes broad restrictions beyond flight activity.

It bans the sale and rental of drones and core components within the city and bars their entry into Beijing.

The specific core components subject to these rules are defined in a separate catalogue that lists 17 items across four essential systems — airframe structure, flight control, communication, and power.

An exception to the transport ban applies to individuals and organizations that complete real‑name registration and information verification with public security authorities.

Unauthorized production, assembly, modification or system tampering, such as hacking, of drones is prohibited; the regulation also establishes strict rules for storage sites.

The establishment of any new storage site is completely prohibited across the entire administrative region of Beijing.

For existing storage sites, any located within the Sixth Ring Road (including the road itself) are not permitted and must cease operation.

Outside the Sixth Ring Road, existing sites are allowed to continue only if they meet required safety standards and pass a formal security assessment conducted by public security authorities.

The regulation further requires existing drone owners to complete mandatory information verification by July 31, 2026 — the end of the three-month transition period after the rules take effect.

Owners who fail to meet this deadline risk penalties; for serious violations, authorities may confiscate the drone and its core components.

Important to note — This does not constitute an explicit ban on personal drone ownership or flight, but it requires prior application and official approval for any outdoor flight, making recreational or casual use effectively impossible for most individuals without a sanctioned purpose.

To support implementation, the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau issued three trial administrative measures on March 28, all of which will also take effect May 1.

The first, Special Guarantee Provisions for Unmanned Aircraft (Trial), outlines the conditions under which exemptions may be granted to the otherwise applicable prohibitions on purchase, transport and storage for permitted uses.

Qualifying activities include counter‑terrorism, emergency rescue and disaster relief, major events, teaching and scientific research, agricultural and forestry production, and sports training and competitions.

Under the provisions, the responsible department examines each application and, where appropriate, may require a security assessment. Approved exemptions may be subject to conditions imposed by the department to ensure safety and security.

It is important to note that the Special Guarantee Provisions do not constitute a flight authorization.

Flight approval itself remains a separate process handled by the air traffic management authority under the national interim regulations; the special guarantee provisions strictly address the purchase, transport, and storage of drones and components for qualifying activities.

A second document, Regulations on the Management of Unmanned Aircraft Storage Sites (Trial), provides detailed implementing rules for the storage requirements set out in the main regulation.

It specifies the security measures that permitted existing storage sites outside the Sixth Ring Road must adopt, which can include controlled access points, 24‑hour surveillance, detailed registers of all stored items, and secure containment to prevent unauthorized removal.

Authorities are empowered to conduct inspections.

The third measure, Measures for the Verification of Unmanned Aircraft Information (Trial), sets out the verification process for drone owners.

Required information includes identity details, registration data, aircraft model and serial number, and proof of purchase or import. Completion of this process within the specified period is required for lawful possession and eligibility for the limited transport exemption.

Together, the four documents establish a unified regulatory framework.

Functionally, they operate as a chain — the verification measures determine which owners are recognized as lawful possessors; the storage site rules stipulate where drones and components may be held; the special guarantee provisions set out the conditions under which exemptions for purchase, transport and storage may be granted for permitted uses; and the main regulation provides the overarching authority and prohibitions that hold the system together.

The final and separate link in the operational chain is the requirement to obtain a flight authorization from the air traffic management authority under the national rules.

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Author’s Note — The Sixth Ring Road

The Sixth Ring Road marks the recognized edge of Beijing’s main urban area. In official city planning, the belt between the Fifth and Sixth Ring Roads is designated as a greenbelt — an ecological buffer that separates the densely built‑up core from outlying suburban and rural districts.

This makes the Sixth Ring Road a logical line for any policy that needs to differentiate between the inner city and the city’s periphery.

As the outermost expressway loop, the Sixth Ring Road serves as a major freight corridor, linking key satellite towns such as Tongzhou, Daxing, and Changping.

Because it channels a large share of regional through‑traffic, it has repeatedly been used as a boundary for restricting certain types of vehicles — for instance, to manage congestion and reduce vehicle emissions within the urban centre.

During past high‑profile events — including the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2014 APEC summit — the Sixth Ring Road was used as a key security boundary, with authorities establishing vehicle screening checkpoints at various entry points.

By drawing the line at the Sixth Ring Road for drone storage, one could argue that officials are applying a boundary that is already visible on the ground, well‑known to residents, and backed by enforcement experience in other regulatory and security contexts.

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COMAC announced today that a C909 aircraft operated by Chengdu Airlines has launched a direct route between Kashi, China, and Osh, Kyrgyzstan.

The first flight, EU3055, departed from Kashi Laining International Airport and arrived at Osh International Airport on April 28.

The route operates every Tuesday. The outbound flight (EU3055) departs Kashi at 09:30 and arrives in Osh at 10:35. The return flight (EU3056) departs Osh at 11:40 and arrives in Kashi at 12:50 (all times Beijing time).

One-way promotional fares start at 600 yuan (approximately 88 USD), excluding taxes

COMAC’s continued expansion comes as the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has stepped up its certification work in China for the larger C919 narrowbody jet.

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By April 26, 31 cases had been selected nationwide, spanning agriculture and forestry operations, inspection and patrol services, low-altitude logistics, public convenience flights, emergency response, mapping and surveying, urban governance, as well as cultural tourism and sports applications.

Rather than introducing new experimental projects, the NDRC conducted a nationwide review of existing local pilots, selecting those deemed most mature and scalable for formal recognition.

By designating them as demonstration scenarios, the commission aims to validate proven operational models and advance their replication across other regions.

The following outlines nine featured demonstration scenarios. Where available, it includes details on participating companies, aircraft types, and operational performance data.

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In 2019, I authored a chapter titled “The Case of Cambodia: Challenges in Training the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals” for the book Engaging the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals.

The chapter draws on my experience as an aviation instructor, where I launched the first English-language aviation program at Cambodia’s regulatory training arm. I also funded and ran a free community program, aimed at cultivating youth awareness and understanding of aviation and aerospace.

Both initiatives focused on introducing fundamental aviation concepts, highlighting career pathways, and explaining the role of air transport to students who otherwise had little exposure to the industry.

At its height, the community program reached up to 50 million people per month on social media.

I paid interns for translation work. We quickly learned that views didn’t come from YouTube, as many data plans included free access to Facebook.

Having traveled extensively throughout the Mekong region, I saw firsthand how limited opportunities can be for rural youth, including Indigenous communities.

When I was not writing about aviation, I would try my hand at reportage — for example, documenting the lives of child miners for the Fall 2014 issue of Verge.

That type of reporting stayed with me.

Children risking their lives in dangerous mines are not thinking about flight schools or going to the moon. Their daily reality is survival, not aspiration.

In Cambodia, I have worked to change that, and I continue to speak in communities and technical vocational schools across the country. Today, my former mentees include commercial pilots, cabin crew, engineers, and air traffic controllers, among others.

These outcomes are possible—but far from guaranteed.

Any discussion of talent development must first acknowledge that millions of young people are excluded from the very idea of a "pathway" — not by lack of ability, but by poverty, geography, neglect, and other structural barriers.

When we speak of engaging the next generation of aviation professionals, we are speaking of a fraction of the world’s youth. The question is not whether to build talent pipelines, but how to do so without ignoring those who will never reach the gate.

My experience working with youth over the past 25+ years has reinforced a simple observation—talent is everywhere, but access is not.

Which segues us into today’s news.

Before we get into it, an aspiring eVTOL professional from India recently reached out to me about an internship for his brother, who is currently studying Computer Science and has strong skills in data engineering and analytics.

If you’re able to offer an internship—ideally a paid one—please feel free to get in touch.

Now, let’s get into the news.

Large-Scale eVTOL Training Initiative Launches

On April 21, the China Machinery Industry Education Association, together with Machinery Industry Press and Guangzhou Qingyan Huayuan Education Technology Co., Ltd. (广州清研华园教育科技有限公司), announced the “Low-Altitude Set Sail” 100-School Support Action.

The program will provide 10 million yuan (approximately US$1.4 million) worth of eVTOL simulation and testing resources free of charge to 100 vocational schools across China.

Each selected institution will receive a resource package valued at 100,000 yuan (approximately US$14,600), which includes 30 student accounts, one teacher account, and teaching modules covering flight control, system simulation, and route planning.

Access is valid through the end of 2026.

According to the association, the program prioritizes schools that already offer UAV-related programs or plan to apply for new low-altitude majors in 2026.

Applicants must submit a three-year development plan detailing enrollment scales, laboratory construction, and school-enterprise cooperation with companies such as EHang and ARIDGE.

The announcement noted that 215 higher vocational institutions had already introduced new low-altitude economy-related majors.

The “Low-Altitude Set Sail” implementing partner, Guangzhou Qingyan Huayuan Education Technology, was the winner of a 4.18 million yuan (approximately US$611,000) low-altitude training base project at Guangzhou Technician College earlier this month.

According to the government tender document, Qingyan Huayuan serves as the course provider, focusing on consulting services for program applications, curriculum development, teacher training, base construction, and internship placements.

The contract lists EHang as the hardware supplier for the training equipment, including the EH216‑S eVTOL aircraft, ground control station, mobile discharge units, AGV transport tractor, and battery balancers.

The program’s design drew from a national professional development seminar held earlier in January.

On January 14–15, Guangzhou City Polytechnic hosted the National Vocational College Low-Altitude Aircraft Technology and Equipment Professional Construction Seminar and Textbook Development Launch Meeting.

According to the Qingyan Chelian Group, the event brought together over 60 participants from 7 provinces and 25 vocational colleges and technician institutes. Discussions focused on industry‑education integration, talent development systems, simulation technology, and national textbook standards.

A dedicated textbook workshop focused on three core titles — Introduction to Low-Altitude Aircraft, Low-Altitude Aircraft Simulation Flight Testing, and Low-Altitude Aircraft Assembly, Adjustment, and Maintenance.

EHang joined the seminar as both a presenter and site host; participants also visited EHang’s Suigang Port exhibition hall in Guangzhou.

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China Machinery Industry Education Association (中国机械工业教育协会)Established in 1993, the China Machinery Industry Education Association is a national non‑profit organization registered with the Ministry of Civil Affairs and supervised by the State‑owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC).

Its membership includes over 600 universities, vocational colleges, secondary schools, technician institutes, enterprises, and research institutions within the machinery industry.

The association acts as a coordinating body between government and educational institutions, focusing on talent development, professional standards, and industry‑education collaboration for China’s machinery and equipment sectors.

Machinery Industry Press (机械工业出版社)
Founded in 1952, Machinery Industry Press is a state‑owned publishing house under SASAC. It specializes in technical and vocational education materials, including textbooks for engineering, manufacturing, automation, and related fields.

The press has 460 textbooks designated for China’s 14th Five‑Year Plan for vocational education. It is responsible for developing the low‑altitude economy textbook series mentioned in the April 2026 program.

Guangzhou Qingyan Huayuan Education Technology Co., Ltd. (广州清研华园教育科技有限公司)
Founded in April 2016, Guangzhou Qingyan Huayuan Education Technology Co., Ltd. is a private education technology company based in Guangzhou. It was established through a collaboration between GAC Trading (a subsidiary of GAC Group) and the Tsinghua University Suzhou Automotive Research Institute.

The company operates as a subsidiary of Shenzhen Qingyan Chelian Information Technology Co., Ltd. (Qingyan Chelian Group), a broader educational technology enterprise founded in 2015 and incubated by Tsinghua University.

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Discussions of China's low‑altitude economy can take many forms, from policy documents to industry forecasts. Less frequently heard are the on‑the‑ground perspectives of local experts and regional practitioners who are directly involved in implementation.

This post presents the views of a Beijing-based research institute dean.

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The Zhuhai Municipal Bureau of Government Services and Data Management issued the Zhuhai Low-Altitude Data Management Measures on April 20, effective May 22.

The measures establish a regulatory framework governing the production, collection, use, and security of data generated by low-altitude activities within Zhuhai’s jurisdiction. They define categories of low-altitude data, clarify the responsibilities of data authorities and service providers, and require compliant data handling and security safeguards.

The aim is to ensure data security while facilitating orderly data circulation and fostering the high-quality development of the low-altitude economy.

Let’s get into it.

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On April 15, the Flight Standards Department of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) issued four draft documents for public comment. The deadline for submitting comments is April 23.

Below is a summary of each document.

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I’m happy to announce that I’ll be joining the NexAvian Leadership Dialogue × Albatross.Ai Open House in Shanghai on April 20.

The event is hosted by NexAvian (a Singapore-based consultancy that connects ecosystems in Advanced Air Mobility) and Albatross.ai (a Tianjin-based aviation tech company focused on autonomous avionics for the low‑altitude economy).

NexAvian, led by former Volocopter China Head Emerson Xu, along with COO and co-founder Nick Fragassi, is active across strategic advisory services, executive engagement, and industry forums supporting advanced air mobility ecosystem development.

The firm recently hosted a Regional AAM Forum at the Singapore Airshow 2026 and counts TCab Tech and Seaplane Asia Group among its partners.

Albatross.AI, led by founder and CEO Dr. Martin Ding and co-founder and CMO Sabrina Li, is developing its flagship Autonomous Flight Assistance System (AFAS) to support the safe integration of crewed and uncrewed aircraft in dense low-altitude environments.

AFAS operates across multiple layers of decision-making—combining real-time onboard sensing, air-to-air coordination, and integration with low-altitude traffic management systems—to facilitate self-separation, conflict detection, and contingency management in increasingly complex airspace operations.

Last month, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) accepted Albatross.AI’s CTSO-C211 airworthiness application for its Detect and Avoid (DAA) system.

The forum is an invitation-only gathering focused on China’s low-altitude economy and how companies are approaching expansion into international markets, including the Asia-Pacific region.

Talks will center on practical considerations—regulation, operations, infrastructure, and how organizations present themselves to global stakeholders.

I look forward to an evening of discussion, exchange, and connecting with Chinese eVTOL manufacturers, government representatives, and other industry stakeholders.

A big thank you to NexAvian and Albatross.Ai for the kind invitation!

A Conversation with Sara Mao — Founder of PIAviation

Earlier last week, I sat down with Sara Mao, founder of PIAviation, to discuss a less visible—but critical—gap in China’s general aviation sector.

While policy support and investment continue to accelerate the low-altitude economy, Mao’s view is that the main constraint is not aircraft or infrastructure, but the lack of an integrated operational layer.

Today, training, flight operations, and pilot records largely exist in silos, with limited interoperability and heavy reliance on manual processes.

Her argument is straightforward —: without a system that connects flight planning, training records, operational workflows, and pilot data, the sector remains fragmented—and difficult to scale.

PIAviation is working to address this by building a structured platform that links these elements into a continuous workflow. The approach focuses on connecting existing data rather than owning it, allowing pilots and institutions to retain control while enabling verified, portable records across the ecosystem.

My interview with Mao, “China’s GA Growth Stalled By Data Fragmentation, Startup Cautions,” is published in Aviation Week.

Catching Up with Peter He — CEO of Vision Aero

I also had an opportunity to catch up with Peter He, founder and CEO of Vision Aero, late last month for an interview.

The discussion covered the company’s approach to advanced air mobility (AAM), shaped by operational experience in U.S. general aviation and a focus on real-world mission requirements.

Vision Aero is developing two parallel platforms — the Vector 5 eVTOL and the Vector 11 hybrid-electric fixed-wing aircraft.

The Vector 5 is positioned around established use cases such as emergency medical services, rescue, and short-range transport, with both fully electric and range-extended variants under development.

The Vector 11 expands into regional and inter-island operations, targeting improved efficiency and lower operating costs through hybrid-electric propulsion.

The full article, “Vision Aero Advances Dual Aircraft Programs with EMS Focus,” is available in Aviation Week.

A big thank you to Aviation Week for supporting my work!

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Lastly, I would like to thank both my current and new subscribers for following China eVTOL News. Your paid support makes it possible to continue coverage and maintain consistent reporting.

China eVTOL News is positioned as a structured tracker for developments in China’s eVTOL sector, helping readers stay oriented as the market evolves—and helping avoid the occasional confusion that can come from interpreting fast-moving milestones in isolation.

In a field where multiple programs are advancing in parallel, context matters as much as individual announcements.

If you find it useful, I’d appreciate you sharing it with others who are also following developments in advanced air mobility.

Stay curious, keep watching the skies — and thank you for supporting independent news.

— Jennifer

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