Secretary for Economy and Finance Anton Tai Kin Ip said yesterday that the government plans to optimise policies and introduce measures tailored to the development of low-altitude economies*, in order to align with Macau’s “1+4” model** aiming to appropriately diversify Macau’s economy.
Tai made the remarks in response to an oral interpellation during a plenary session yesterday in the legislature’s hemicycle, in which lawmaker José Choi San Peng urged the government to respond to national calls to develop Macau’s low-altitude economy.
Tai noted that the low-altitude economy is an economic activity reliant on low-altitude airspace, primarily driven by the general aviation industry, which encompasses sectors such as low-altitude transportation, tourism, research, education, and entertainment, utilising aircraft like drones and helicopters.
To support the initiative, Lei noted that Macau is actively participating in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) Standardisation Innovation Alliance, with a local university leading the alliance’s low-altitude economy working group, focusing on technical standards, experimental scenarios, and commercial applications.
During yesterday’s plenary session, Macau Civil Aviation Authority (AACM) Vice President Fong Wai Long said that Macau’s current low-altitude economic activities are primarily centred on cross-border helicopter services, connecting Macau with Hong Kong and Shenzhen, as well as offering sightseeing tours.
Fong said that drones are increasingly popular for commercial, recreational, and emergency purposes, and are also being utilised by the local government for tasks such as surveillance, mapping, and infrastructure inspections.
However, Fong acknowledged the challenges posed by Macau’s limited airspace, dense population, and high-rise buildings, adding that the government can start with small-scale drone applications and gradually expand to larger operations, including cargo and potentially passenger transport, while the government is also monitoring international regulations to inform future legal adjustments.
*According to Wikipedia, the term low-altitude economy (LAE) refers to economic activities in airspace up to 1,000 metres above the ground, although the airspace may be extended to up to 3,000 metres depending on regional and practical needs. This includes various activities and industries related to civil manned and unmanned aircraft, such as passenger transport (including electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft), cargo transport (including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV)), manufacturing and integrated services.
** Appropriately diversified development refers to the framework of the government’s “1+4” appropriate economic diversification model, which aims to consolidate and diversify the development of the city’s tourism and leisure industry while putting special emphasis on promoting the development of four diversified industries, namely 1) big health, 2) modern finance, 3) high-tech, and 4) MICE as well as culture and sports.
