5G-A (5G-Advanced) is an upgraded version of 5G technology and is seen as a bridge between 5G and 6G. Compared with traditional 5G, 5G-A has further improved speed, connection density, and latency, and introduced more application scenarios, such as synaesthesia integration.
Low-altitude economy refers to a series of civil flight activities carried out in low-altitude flight areas, mainly involving the application of manned and unmanned aerial vehicles in low-altitude airspace. It covers all aspects of low-altitude aircraft manufacturing, operation services, and support systems, forming a comprehensive economic form.
5G-A provides strong technical support for the low-altitude economy
5G-A technology provides strong technical support for the development of low-altitude economy, especially in the field of low-altitude communication and low-altitude perception. Specific applications and benefits include:
Synaesthesia integration technology: 5G-A combines communication and perception functions to achieve accurate perception of low-altitude, slow-speed and small targets, providing technical support for the management and operation of low-altitude UAVs. ZTE's 5G-A "pulse wave + continuous wave" synaesthesia mode has achieved remarkable results in practical applications in Hainan and Yunnan, proving its extensive potential in drones, intelligent manufacturing and other fields.
Low-altitude intelligent networking: 5G-A realizes real-time and precise control of low-altitude aircraft by building low-altitude intelligent networking. For example, China Telecom's networked drones have been used in inspection, water conservancy, security, surveying and mapping, energy, agriculture and other fields, and more than 310 projects have been implemented.
In addition, 5G-A technology also supports the intelligent management applications of low-altitude aircraft, such as logistics and distribution, security inspection, etc., to help the high-quality and sustainable development of the low-altitude economy.
Policy support and market potential
In 2024, the low-altitude economy will be included in the work report of the central government for the first time and become an important direction of market development. A number of policy documents have been issued one after another, clearly supporting the development of low-altitude economy, and setting a 100-billion-level industrial target. According to Morgan Stanley's forecast, the market size of the low-altitude economy will reach $1.5 trillion in the future.
Figure: 5G-A and the low-altitude economy: innovation and convergence lead to future development
Development status and future prospects
Technological Breakthrough and Project Implementation:
The rapid popularization of 5G-A technology has promoted the rapid development of the low-altitude economy. As of October 2024, China Mobile has deployed 5G-A in more than 330 cities, making it one of the largest 5G-A networks in the world. At the same time, a number of provinces and cities have launched pilot projects for 5G-A low-altitude intelligent networking to promote the in-depth development of low-altitude economy.
For example, China Unicom cooperated with the Yanqing District Government to deploy the industry's first 5G-A 10 Gigabit integrated large-scale networking demonstration in the Great Wall Scenic Area, and established the "5G-A Low-altitude Economic Innovation Base".
Future Prospects:
In the future, the combination of 5G-A and low-altitude economy will promote the development of innovative application scenarios such as low-altitude logistics, low-altitude agriculture, and low-altitude tourism. China Mobile plans to systematically plan 10 typical scenarios and create 100 industry benchmark demonstration projects by 2025. Moreover, China's leading position in the field of 5G-A and low-altitude economy is expected to hold a significant share of the global market.
Challenges and opportunities
Challenge:
Infrastructure construction is lagging behind: low-altitude infrastructure is still in its infancy, and the construction of general airports, temporary take-off and landing points and other facilities needs to be strengthened urgently to ensure the safety and efficiency of low-altitude flight.
Lack of technical standardization: The technical standards related to the low-altitude economy are not uniform, which affects the healthy development of the market. The formulation and promotion of standards should be accelerated to improve the technical level of the entire industry.
Opportunity:
Growth in market demand: With the improvement of living standards and the upgrading of consumption structure, the demand for low-altitude travel and related services has gradually increased. At the same time, the application of low-altitude economy in logistics and distribution, emergency rescue and other fields is also becoming increasingly rich, and the market demand is showing explosive growth.
Technological progress: The rapid development of artificial intelligence, digital technology, and new energy technology will provide strong support for the realization of the low-altitude economy and promote its development in the direction of higher quality and higher efficiency.
The combination of 5G-A technology and low-altitude economy will not only bring new momentum to economic development, but also promote the deep integration of scientific and technological progress and social development. In the future, with the continuous progress of technology and the continuous support of policies, the low-altitude economy is expected to usher in broader development prospects.
