Drones shuttle through high-rise buildings to deliver takeout, cross island medical supplies, and agricultural drones escort agriculture, forestry, and plant protection... In the continuous expansion of application scenarios, an invisible and intangible "net" escorts the low altitude economy to soar. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology recently announced that it will explore the establishment of a low altitude economic network facility that integrates communication and sensing. In addition, the three major telecommunications operators and industry enterprises are also actively exploring the use of technologies such as 5G, low orbit satellites, and broadband communication networks to accelerate the construction of a low altitude intelligent network with communication, monitoring, and service functions.
What is low altitude intelligent networking? Yang Ling, the head of the CCID Consulting Intelligent Equipment Industry Research Center, told the Economic Reference News reporter that low altitude intelligent networking is an important component of low altitude infrastructure. Through communication technologies such as 5G, 5G-A (5G evolution), and low orbit satellites, low altitude network signals and low altitude perception and monitoring capabilities in relevant coverage areas are strengthened to ensure stable communication and monitoring services during flight.
At present, many places have carried out low altitude communication and perception network technology verification and application pilot projects based on 5G and 5G-A.
At Chengdu Sci Tech Innovation Ecological Island, consumers place orders for coffee online, and businesses prepare drinks and place them in a drone "transport warehouse". Soon, the drone will carry the coffee "from the sky". Without relying on professional drone pilots, drones can remotely achieve route planning, remote control, unmanned operation flight and other operations through 5G network technology on the 'China Mobile Lingyun' drone control platform, realizing fully automated distribution, while accurately locating and tracking goods to ensure the safety and traceability of goods during transportation, "said a community administrator from Wan'an Street, Tianfu New Area, Sichuan.
In addition, at Li Huili Hospital in Ningbo Medical Center, the use of "5G+drones" has opened up air life routes, improving the overall air transportation efficiency by more than 60% compared to ground transportation; In Anji County, Huzhou City, unmanned aerial vehicles have been used for daily management and maintenance of Huxi, and the construction of an integrated three-dimensional monitoring system for water, land, and air has been accelerated
Yang Ling believes that thanks to China's leading 5G related technology and infrastructure layout, telecommunications operators and related enterprises have carried out technology verification in multiple places, consolidating the foundation of low altitude economic development capabilities. However, it should also be noted that the low altitude intelligent networking is currently in the pilot operation stage, and there is still great potential and market space for the development and capacity building of low altitude network facilities, data facilities, and other products.
It is worth noting that the construction layout will be further expanded from ministries to localities. Zhao Zhiguo, Chief Engineer of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, recently stated at a press conference of the State Council Information Office that efforts will be made to explore the establishment of a low altitude economic network facility that integrates sensing and communication. In addition, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will actively promote the integration and innovation of new generation information and communication technology, new energy technology, and low altitude equipment such as drones, conduct research on the use of low altitude economic radio frequencies, and accelerate the development and mode innovation of low altitude intelligent connectivity technology.
The Shanghai Municipal Administration of Communications recently issued guidance on ten key tasks, including the construction of 5G-A low altitude communication networks and the exploration of integrated satellite ground communication networks. By 2026, a low altitude communication network with continuous coverage of all low altitude flight routes in Shanghai will be initially established; Explore the integration of low altitude intelligent networking and satellite fusion in the air space integrated network. Shenzhen has proposed to focus on promoting the integration of information infrastructure communication and sensing, accelerate the deployment of low altitude communication 5G-A test base stations, and achieve full coverage of low altitude communication and surveillance.
At the same time, the three major telecom operators and industry enterprises are also targeting the new track of low altitude economy, accelerating the construction of low altitude information infrastructure and innovation in low altitude intelligent networking technology.
China Telecom has proposed to accelerate the construction of a low altitude intelligent network that integrates cloud and network, communication and intelligence, sensing, and space, and to build an integrated cloud platform for operation, management, and services. China Mobile recently joined forces with 15 central enterprises and 15 cities to jointly build a low altitude economic ecosystem, and proposed to create three integrated low altitude intelligent networks: a wide and reliable low altitude communication network, an intelligent and accurate low altitude navigation network, and a high-performance low altitude perception network. China Unicom has clearly stated that it will accelerate technological innovation in millimeter wave, integrated sensing, high-precision navigation, and low altitude new networking.
Industry insiders believe that building digital and intelligent low altitude integration infrastructure represented by low altitude intelligent networking, promoting deep integration of various technologies such as Beidou, 5G, and artificial intelligence, will help further promote innovative applications of low altitude economy and stimulate its potential.
While accelerating the layout of network innovation, network security is equally important. Wen Junfeng, Deputy General Manager of the Civil Aviation Division of China Electric Power Construction Corporation, a subsidiary of Sanda Group, stated that low altitude flight and management require high availability, stability, and safety. The integrated security protection system that integrates system security, network security, and communication security is an important guarantee for low altitude new infrastructure. We need to strengthen the gathering of research capabilities in network and data security technologies in the low altitude economic field, and ensure orderly and efficient flight activities through autonomous computing bases, network security, data security, etc.
