Guess what, tech enthusiasts? China just opened its very first drone '4S Store', and it's as cool as it sounds! 🛸✨ This groundbreaking store kicked off trial operations at the national civil unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) testing base known as \"Sky Eye\" in Pengzhou, just 70 km from Chengdu, Sichuan Province.
Modeled after your typical car '4S stores' (Sales, Spare parts, Service, and Survey), this drone hub – officially called the Low-Altitude Economy Intelligent Equipment Exhibition and Sales Center – offers a one-stop-shop for everything drones! That means sales, maintenance, parts, and all the latest drone intel under one roof. Talk about drone heaven! 😍
\"Here, you can purchase a wide variety of drones with comprehensive functions at competitive prices, while also experiencing a one-stop 'buy and try' service,\" said Zhou Xiaoming, head of \"Sky Eye\". Sounds like a dream come true for drone lovers! 🚁💖
But that's not all! The center also provides drone insurance, financial services, public education, and hosts forum activities. With 32 drone-related companies on board, it's set to become a buzzing hive of UAV innovation and community. 🛒🤝
Finding places to test-fly drones has always been a bit of a headache. But \"Sky Eye\" solves that problem with its expansive airspace below 1,200 meters and a radius of 5 kilometers nestled in the beautiful Longmen Mountain range. Drones of all kinds take to the skies here every day! 🌄✨
Since getting the green light for airspace use back in 2017, \"Sky Eye\" has been a trailblazer. In 2022, it became a national civil UAV testing base, making flight approvals a breeze – just notify them an hour in advance! This shift from an \"approval system\" to a \"notification system\" is a game-changer, cutting costs and boosting efficiency. 🚀⏱️
With 10 test-flight locations and 19 low-altitude economic application scenarios, \"Sky Eye\" is the largest of China's 20 national testing bases. It's a magnet for innovators, attracting 132 companies involved in drone R&D, production, and more, pumping serious energy into Sichuan's low-altitude economy. 💡💼
And the drone boom doesn't stop there! In the first half of 2024, China registered nearly 608,000 new UAVs, soaring 48% from the end of 2023. The cumulative flight time of UAVs hit nearly 9.82 million hours. Talk about reaching new heights! 📈🌐
Analysts predict that China's low-altitude economy, fueled by tech innovation, is set to skyrocket. In 2023, the sector's value hit 505.95 billion yuan (about $69.3 billion), and it's projected to surpass 1 trillion yuan by 2026. The sky's the limit! 🌠💰
So, if you're into drones or just love seeing tech take off (literally), keep an eye on \"Sky Eye\" and China's soaring UAV scene. Who knows, maybe your next adventure will be piloting one of these high-flying gadgets! 🛸✈️
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
