The low-altitude economy, once regarded as a "no-fly zone" in civil aviation, is now flourishing with the support of Beidou Grid Code technology. The large-scale application of low-altitude aircraft depends on high-precision navigation and positioning, whether it's drones delivering medical supplies across cities or manned aircraft linking cultural and tourist sites. But how can we ensure these aircraft are both "manageable" and "free to fly"? How can we equip each aircraft with "air traffic lights" to prevent congestion in the skies? How can aerospace information technology break through the constraints of traditional no-fly zones and create a comprehensive, controllable three-dimensional transportation network? With these questions in mind, our reporter interviewed Cheng Chengqi, the creator of the national standard of Beidou Grid Code and a professor of Peking University.
低空经济,这个曾被民航领域视为“飞行禁区”的战略性新兴产业,如今正依托北斗网格码技术蓬勃发展。从无人机跨城急送医疗物资,到载人飞行器串联文旅景区,低空飞行器的规模化应用离不开高精度的导航定位。然而,如何让低空空域的飞行器“管得住”又“飞得畅”?如何为每架飞行器装上“空中红绿灯”,避免从车水马龙变为车马盈门?空天信息技术如何突破传统禁飞区的桎梏,织就一张全域可控的立体交通网?带着这些问题,记者采访了北斗网格码国家标准创始人、北京大学教授程承旗。
Cheng Chengqi, the Chief Scientist of Beidou Fuxi, is guiding his team to apply two decades of expertise in low-altitude airspace technology to the Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone (ZAEZ). Within this national pilot zone for aviation-driven economic growth, he is shaping a groundbreaking model for low-altitude innovation that aligns with Central China's vision for the future.
作为北斗伏羲首席科学家,程承旗即将带领团队将深耕20年的低空空域信息技术注入郑州航空港经济综合实验区建设,在这片国家级航空经济发展先行区书写低空经济的“中原答案”。
Why did Beidou Fuxi choose the ZAEZ?
中原总部背后的战略棋局:北斗伏羲为何选择郑州航空港?
"The ZAEZ has thoroughly implemented the earnest guidance of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the strategic plans of the CPC Central Committee, and it has emerged as a key driver of national economic growth," said Cheng Chengqi, reflecting on Beidou Fuxi's decision to set up its Central China headquarters in the Zone. He emphasized, "This area boasts irreplaceable geographical advantages and policy momentum, making it a potential unique growth pole for China in the low-altitude sector."
“郑州航空港深入贯彻落实了习近平总书记的殷殷嘱托和党中央的战略部署,是国家经济增长的新引擎。”谈及北斗伏羲将中原总部落户郑州航空港的决策,程承旗直言,“这里具备不可替代的区位优势与政策势能,很可能成为中国在低空领域的一个独特的增长极。”
In Cheng Chengqi's view, the uniqueness of the ZAEZ lies in its "super multi-modal transport system of five major transportation forms". Currently, the railway, highway, aviation and waterway have created a hub network, and the inclusion of low-altitude flight will transform it into a comprehensive multi-modal transportation system. Moreover, the ZAEZ is centrally located among Xuchang, Zhengzhou, Xinzheng, and Kaifeng, four major cities in terms of population and cultural tourism. With a surrounding population of tens of millions, these areas are reachable within just 20 minutes via low-altitude flight. "In the future, this area will not only be a hub for logistics and population but also the command center for a 'province-wide network' of low-altitude economy," Cheng Chengqi stated.
在程承旗看来,郑州航空港的独特性在于“五大交通形态的超级联运”。目前,铁路、公路、航空、水运已形成枢纽网络,而低空飞行的加入将使其升级为“五位一体”的立体交通体系。此外,航空港地处郑州、新郑、许昌、开封四大人口与文旅重镇的几何中心,周边辐射数千万人口,低空飞行仅需20分钟即可到达。“未来,这里不仅是物流与人口的汇聚点,更是低空经济‘全省一张网’的指挥中枢。”程承旗表示。
More importantly, there is strong policy support. The ZAEZ is currently the only national-level pilot zone for aviation economic development approved by the State Council. Its dual goals of becoming a "National Airport Economy Comprehensive Pilot Zone" and a "Modern, International, World-Class Logistics Hub" align closely with Beidou Fuxi's industrial strategy. "The development of the low-altitude economy requires a model zone that is 'manageable, open and effectively utilized', and the ZAEZ is the ideal platform," Cheng Chengqi emphasized.
更关键的是政策支持。郑州航空港经济综合实验区,是目前唯一一个由国务院批复设立的国家级航空经济发展先行区,其提出的“国家航空港经济综合实验区”“现代化国际化世界级物流枢纽”两大定位,与北斗伏羲的产业布局高度契合。“低空经济的发展,需要‘管得住、放得开、用得好’的样板区,郑州航空港正是绝佳试验场。”程承旗强调。
How can "Air Traffic Lights" solve low altitude control challenges?
“空中红绿灯”织网:如何破解低空管控难题?
The core challenge for the ZAEZ in developing the low-altitude economy lies in safety management. Typically, the area within a 10-kilometer radius around an airport is often designated as a no-fly zone, but the ZAEZ aims to enable low-altitude aircraft to "fly freely" within a controllable range. Beidou Fuxi's solution is a "low-altitude 3D traffic light system". It uses Beidou Grid Code technology to divide airspace into digital grids with centimeter-level precision. These grids dynamically mark no-fly zones, controlled zones, and free-flight zones, effectively creating an "airborne navigation map".
航空港区发展低空经济的核心挑战在于安全管控。一般来说,机场周边半径10公里的区域往往被划为禁飞区,而郑州航空港的目标是让低空飞行器在可控范围内“自由翱翔”。北斗伏羲的解决方案是一套“低空立体交通红绿灯系统”——通过北斗网格码技术,将空域切割为厘米级精度的数字网格,动态标识禁飞区、管控区和自由飞行区,形成“空中高德地图”。
"This system allows aircraft to automatically plan green-light routes, avoiding conflicts with civil aviation routes while providing real-time data for regulation," Cheng Chengqi explained. "Like ground traffic lights, the system marks no-fly zones in red and flyable zones in green. When navigating from point A to point B, it automatically selects the optimal route through green-light grids."
“这套系统让飞行器自动规划绿灯路径,避免与民航航道冲突,同时为监管提供实时数据。”程承旗比喻道,“就像地面的红绿灯,系统将禁飞空域标识为红,可飞空域标识为绿,实现从A点到B点的导航时,将自动从绿灯网格中选择一条最优线路。”
"Future low-altitude flights will achieve a balance of order and efficiency," Cheng Chengqi stated. This technology has already attracted over a hundred companies, including SF Express and DJI, to participate in its application. A comprehensive industry chain ecosystem, ranging from chips and algorithms to equipment manufacturing, is anticipated to converge in the ZAEZ.
“未来的低空飞行将实现秩序与效率的平衡。”程承旗表示,这一技术已吸引顺丰、大疆等百余家企业参与运用,从芯片、算法到装备制造,一条覆盖全产业链的生态有望在郑州航空港汇聚。
What are the potential applications of the low-altitude economy in areas ranging from "transfer logistics" to "cultural tourism routes"?
从“接驳物流”到“文旅专线”:低空经济有何应用场景?
In Cheng Chengqi's vision, technology will transition from the lab to everyday life, with the low-altitude economy in the ZAEZ taking the lead in three key areas. First of all, it can be applied to transfer logistics. As a major transportation hub, the ZAEZ will use low-altitude aircraft to extend its reach within a 100-kilometer radius, linking the finer details of supply chains and enabling unmanned delivery of goods for the "last mile". Secondly, it is applicable to cultural tourism routes. Leveraging the cultural and tourism resources of Zhengzhou, Kaifeng, Xinzheng, and Xuchang, low-altitude sightseeing routes will be established, creating a "20-minute intercity tourism network". Lastly, it is suitable for talent cultivation. Targeting both students and professionals, the initiative will develop low-altitude education programs and talent training systems, positioning the ZAEZ as a new hub for cultivating talent in the low-altitude economy.
在程承旗的规划中,技术将从实验室飞入日常生活,郑州航空港的低空经济将率先在三大场景落地。首先是物流接驳,郑州航空港作为干线枢纽,通过低空飞行器向周边100公里辐射,打通“毛细血管”,实现货物“最后一公里”的无人配送;其次是文旅专线,依托郑州、开封、新郑、许昌等地的文旅资源,开通低空观光航线,打造“20分钟跨城旅游圈”;最后是人才培养,面向中小学生和从业人员,开发低空教育课程和人才培养体系,将郑州航空港打造成低空经济人才的新高地。
When asked about the ultimate goal of Beidou Fuxi's collaboration with the ZAEZ, Cheng Chengqi summarized: "We aim to build a low-altitude hub in Central China, and achieve a super multi-modal transport system integrating aviation, waterway, highway, railway, and low-altitude flight."
当被问及北斗伏羲与郑州航空港合作的终极目标时,程承旗用一句话概括:“打造中原低空枢纽中心城,实现航空、水运、公路、铁路、低空‘五位一体’的超级联运。”
Behind this vision unfolds a broader economic landscape. As an emerging driver of new quality productive forces, the low-altitude economy boasts an extensive industrial chain and broad application scope. Beidou Fuxi will also drive the cluster development of upstream and downstream industries such as chips, computational power, artificial intelligence, and equipment manufacturing in the ZAEZ. "Each application may give rise to a new industry. For example, low-altitude logistics requires special drones, scenic spot sightseeing relies on manned aircraft, and control systems demand massive computational power support," said Cheng Chengqi. Within China's trillion-yuan low-altitude economy, the ZAEZ is set to rise as a key player.
这一愿景的背后,是更宏大的产业图景——低空经济作为新质生产力的发展方向,产业链长,覆盖面广,北斗伏羲也将带动芯片、算力、人工智能、装备制造等上下游产业链在郑州航空港集群发展。“每一个应用场景都可能催生一个新产业,比如低空物流需要专用无人机,景区观光需要载人飞行器,而管控系统需要海量算力支撑。”程承旗表示,在这个全国规模已达万亿级别的市场体量中,郑州航空港的低空经济腾飞值得期待。
Advancing from Beidou Grid Code to air traffic lights, Cheng Chengqi has driven the ZAEZ into the forefront of the low-altitude economy through two decades of technological expertise. A transfommation in the skies is underway on this vibrant land of Central China. In the future, as drones shuttle between buildings and manned aircraft connect cities and scenic areas, the ZAEZ may become a "pioneer" in China's low-altitude economy, showcasing to the world a new paradigm of a multi-modal transportation system.
从北斗网格码到空中红绿灯,程承旗用20年技术积淀,为郑州航空港插上低空经济的翅膀。在这片中原热土上,一场关于天空的变革正在发生——未来,当无人机穿梭于楼宇之间,载人飞行器连接城市与景区,郑州航空港或将成为中国低空经济的“先行者”,向世界展示“五位一体”交通强国的全新范式。