DRONE THRILLS, TECH DREAMS TAKE FLIGHT IN SHENZHEN’S LONGHUA DISTRICT

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 (Bernama) -- The skies above Shenzhen’s Longhua District roared with excitement as the Model (Aviation) Sport of the 15th National Games Mass Participation Events of China took centre stage, drawing aviation model enthusiasts from across the nation.

The spectacle combined precision, speed, and innovation, turning the district into a hub of aerial adrenaline and technological artistry.

The team competition of drone racing (F9U) was particularly intense, as 30 athletes from 10 teams representing Zhejiang, Jiangsu, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and other regions competed fiercely for the final medals.

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Wearing first-person-view (FPV) goggles, competitors piloted their high-speed drones through an intricate three-dimensional course filled with gravity gates and sharp turns, offering spectators a dazzling display of agility and split-second decision-making.

Each dive, twist, and surge of the drones left trails of light and anticipation in the air—an electrifying showcase of millisecond-level competition where technology met athleticism.

Beyond the racetrack, Longhua is fast emerging as a national pioneer in China’s booming low-altitude economy. The district’s skyline now buzzes not only with drones racing for medals but also with machines delivering meals, ferrying medical supplies, and painting the night sky with light shows.

Companies like Meituan are already transforming daily life, delivering hot meals across high-rises, while emergency drones now cut medical transport times from around half an hour to mere minutes. Meanwhile, Damoda’s drone formations have become global ambassadors of Chinese creativity, crafting luminous art across international skies.

According to the Longhua District Convergence Media Center of Shenzhen in a statement, Longhua was the first in China to propose a “pilot zone for the low-altitude economy”, setting the stage for a new frontier of policy and technological innovation.

By 2025, the district is expected to host 445 enterprises connected to the low-altitude sector—spanning from advanced manufacturing to intelligent services—anchoring a complete industrial chain.

With drone flights in Longhua soaring past 225,000 in 2024 and the annual output exceeding six billion Chinese yuan, the district has become a core area for the development of China's low-altitude economy. (100 Chinese yuan = RM58.98)

-- BERNAMA