Navigating skies: New horizons for Pakistan-China collaboration
Published on: June 9, 2024.
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“The year 2024 marks the start of a booming UAV industry, opening up new opportunities for cooperation between Pakistan and China,” stated Sun Yang, Vice President of the Shenzhen UAV Industry Association, during the Pakistan China Business Forum held in Shenzhen.
The agricultural sector in Pakistan and China is facing disruptions caused by climate change, and to address this, the two countries are enhancing their collaboration in the use of UAVs.
Ghulam Qadir, Commercial Counsellor of the Pakistani Embassy in China, revealed plans to invite 50 to 60 Chinese technology companies, including those in the UAV and AI sectors, to visit Pakistan next month.
Dong, the CEO of Baina Zhihang, a UAV startup in Shenzhen, identified South Asia and South America as the most promising markets for low-altitude economic development and cooperation. He emphasized the abundant opportunities for UAV usage in South Asian countries, particularly in rice paddies for weed control, fertilizer distribution, and pesticide application. Dong also highlighted the importance of people-to-people connections and exchanges in facilitating communication and technical training.
The drone industry in China, known as the “low-altitude economy,” is considered a strategic emerging industry and a new growth engine. With “low-altitude” referring to airspace below 1000 meters, the market size of China’s low-altitude economy is projected to reach RMB 1.5 trillion by 2025 and RMB 3.5 trillion by 2035.
In Shenzhen, which is a special economic zone in southern China, consumption-level UAVs hold 70% of the global market, while the industry-level usage is approximately 50%. Meituan, China’s leading retail technology company, completed over 400,000 successful drone trips in the region last year.
Sun Yang highlighted the industry’s efforts to develop safe and stable UAVs capable of carrying passengers, envisioning a future where air commuting is a reality.
To fully harness this cutting-edge technology, Pakistan needs to establish physical infrastructure, communication and sensing networks, digital operations, as well as regulatory and service mechanisms, according to Sun Yang. He also suggested exploring other application scenarios beyond agriculture, such as package delivery, mid-air sightseeing, first aid, and urban patrol.
Source: [UrduPoint](https://www.urdupoint.com)
