Low-Altitude Economy
The low-altitude economy (LAE)—a term coined and institutionalized in China—has rapidly evolved from science fiction into a civilizational-scale infrastructure project that redefines the very fabric of 21st-century mobility, logistics, and governance. The future of transport and logistics is a seamless integration of land, sea, and air operations. Far from emerging through market spontaneity or accidental technological convergence, the LAE is the product of a deliberate, symbiotic orchestration among visionary individuals, institutions, academia, and industry. This human-driven, institutionally embedded process—supported by a vertically integrated technological stack spanning CATL’s sovereign battery systems, Huawei’s 5G–6G networks, and the AI-powered National Low-Altitude Air Traffic Management System (LATMS)—has enabled China to transform airspace below 1,000 meters into a managed, monetized, and strategically vital domain. This book explores how this nascent industry is being developed and why China is a global technological leader.
Dr. Lihua Liu is a researcher and teacher in the Business School at Shanghai DianJi University and the Managing Director of the Shanghai DianJi University Innovation Center in Stockholm, Sweden. She holds a Ph.D. in Innovation Sciences from Halmstad University (2019), a Master’s in Applied Psychology from Shanghai Normal University, and a Bachelor’s in Marketing from Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Based in both China and Sweden, she serves as a strategic bridge among academic institutions, industry leaders, and policymakers in sustainable technology and cross-border innovation.
Dr. Mike Danilovic is an internationally recognized professor, academic leader, innovation strategist, and technology management specialist with more than three decades of transformative impact across higher education, industry, and public policy. Operating at the intersection of research, commercialization, and cross-border collaboration, he has consistently bridged theoretical rigor and real-world application to accelerate sustainable technology transitions. He has held a distinguished overseas professorship at Shanghai DianJi University since 2010 and has extensive experience in China's industry. Together with Dr. Lihua, he has developed and implemented the Symbiotic Business Model at Goldwind.