Baotou is utilizing its equipment manufacturing and rare earth material advantages to establish a complete industrial chain system, encompassing research, development, manufacturing, and application, with a focus on transforming the low-altitude economy into a new development driver.

The city has formed a comprehensive platform around Baotou Wudangzhao Airport that integrates drone testing, scientific research, and science popularization.

Airport staff members perform helicopter maintenance. [Photo/Baotou news network]

The city will focus on constructing an intelligent equipment manufacturing base with an annual output of 10,000 units. The project has a total investment of 2.5 billion yuan ($364.54 million) and will build unmanned aerial vehicles, robot production lines, and supporting facilities.

A unique "low altitude+" application matrix has also been formed. Through the "industry + cultural tourism" and "manufacturing + service" models, various application scenarios have been developed, including drone inspection, smart logistics, and ecological monitoring. MI-171 helicopters regularly carry out forest fire prevention tasks, covering 13 key areas and 2.95 million mu (200,000 hectares) of forest and grassland.

Significant breakthroughs have been made in the development of a talent cultivation system. Beijiang Low Altitude Flight (Inner Mongolia) Technology Co's drone flight training base, authorized by the Civil Aviation Administration of China, has trained more than 110 pilots and is expected to train over 3,000 professional drone practitioners this year.

Baotou has planned 24 low-altitude economic projects with a total investment of nearly 10 billion yuan, covering projects such as airports, low-altitude economic industrial parks, drone manufacturing, and helipads, promoting the development of the city's low-altitude economy.