On December 26, the 2024 Forum on High-Quality Development of Future Space & High-End Manufacturing was held in Shanghai Lingang. With the theme of "New Drivers, Linking the Future", the forum aimed to establish a docking and exchange platform for enterprises in the future space industry (represented by the low-altitude economy) and the high-end manufacturing industry through in-depth communication, so as to promote the high-quality development of these two industries. More than 300 people, including Academicians Li Deren receiving the highest honor in China's science and technology sector and Professor of Wuhan University; Rong Zhiqin, Deputy Director and First-Class Inspector of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization; Wu Xiaohua, Deputy Secretary of the Party Working Committee of the Lingang Special Area of China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone; Dong Zhiyi, former Deputy Director of the Civil Aviation Administration of China and Chief Expert on Low-Altitude Economy of the Chinese Society of Aeronautics and Astronautics(CSAA); Cheng Chengqi, Member of the Technical Advisory Committee of the Central Air Traffic Management Commission, Professor of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics Engineering at Peking University, and Director and Chief Scientist of the Low-Altitude Intelligent Connection Center of Peking University International Sci-Tech Innovation Center at Lin-gang Special Area, China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone(PKU-IICSH), as well as representatives from relevant government units, universities, research institutes, industry associations, and enterprises, gathered by the Dishui Lake in Shanghai Lingang to jointly discuss the trends and measures for the coordinated development of the future space and high-end manufacturing industries.

Dong Zhiyi delivered a speech at the conference. He stated that the future space industry, represented by the low-altitude economy, aerospace, and deep-sea and deep-earth exploration, and the high-end manufacturing industry are both important components of the modern industrial system. He believes that the development of the low-altitude economy provides broad application scenarios and impetus for technological innovation for high-end manufacturing. The advancement of high-end manufacturing technology can also provide solid technical support for the safe and efficient operation of the low-altitude economy. The two are complementary and jointly promote the optimization and upgrading of the social and economic structure.

Dong Zhiyi pointed out that to develop the low-altitude economy, first, we must balance the relationship between cultivating new driving forces and upgrading traditional driving forces. Second, we must consolidate the foundation by accelerating industrial innovation. Third, we must balance development and security and improve the risk prevention and control system. He also emphasized that Shanghai Lingang, as an important carrier of national strategies, has unique advantages and conditions. Lingang should give full play to its basic advantages in industrial chain integration, technological innovation, and policy exploration, promote the integrated development of the low-altitude economy, future space, and high-end manufacturing industries along the industrial chain, and set an example for the in-depth integration and new-quality development of the future space and high-end manufacturing industries.

In his speech, Rong Zhiqin said that a series of policies for the development of the low-altitude economy and commercial aerospace in Shanghai have strengthened the high-quality development of industries from the top-level design, and further clarified the process and future development direction of Shanghai's industries towards high-end, independent, and clustered development. The Lingang Special Area has become an important carrier for the development of Shanghai's aerospace industry, and also a main battlefield for Shanghai to accelerate the development of new productive forces in high-end manufacturing and cultivate new industrialization.

Rong Zhiqin also put forward three suggestions. First, forge new supplies and promote the high-quality development of aerospace. Further support the Lingang Special Area to give full play to the agglomeration advantages of the industrial chain in large aircraft manufacturing, aero-engine development, and micro-satellite R&D and manufacturing, and strive to improve the supply capacity of key supporting facilities across the entire industrial chain. Second, develop new industries and efficiently advance new applications of aerospace. Further support the Lingang Special Area to seize the opportunity of low-altitude economy development, based in Shanghai, radiating the Yangtze River Delta, and leading the whole country. Make good use of the third-party platform role of the Shanghai Yangtze River Delta Modern Industry Development Promotion Association, leverage the advantages of low-altitude cultural tourism and logistics scenarios such as Dishui Lake, Haichang Ocean Park, and Yangshan Port, encourage enterprises to further explore more commercial applications such as satellite communication and low-altitude manned/cargo transportation, foster new growth engines for the economy, and achieve higher-level innovation and application in the industrial chain. Third, innovate new models and conduct high-level innovative cooperation in aerospace. The Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization will further support the Lingang Special Area to rely on its favorable location and institutional (policy) advantages, gain in-depth insights into the trends and laws of new productive forces in industries, continue to uphold the concept of open cooperation, leverage key links in the industrial chain, enhance core market operation capabilities, address weaknesses in a targeted manner, establish a Lingang model for the development and growth of the low-altitude economy and commercial aerospace, and promote the industrial chain to develop to a higher level.

Academician Li Deren gave a keynote speech entitled "Opportunities and Tasks for the Intelligentization of Low-Altitude Remote Sensing" at the forum. Focusing on remote sensing, communication perception, and air traffic networks, Academician Li Deren elaborated in depth. He pointed out that with the continuous advancement of technology, low-altitude remote sensing will play an increasingly important role in urban planning, environmental monitoring, disaster early warning, and other fields. At the same time, he called on the industry to strengthen cooperation to jointly promote the innovation and application of low-altitude remote sensing technology.

At the forum, the Low-Altitude Economy Industry Branch of the Shanghai Yangtze River Delta Modern Industry Development Promotion Association was unveiled and established. The branch aims to promote the development of the low-altitude economy and future space industry through technology leadership, talent training, standard formulation, and exchange and docking.

The launch ceremony of the Peking University Lingang Low-Altitude Integrated Flight Demonstration Platform was also held at the forum. Co-built by PKU-IICSH, low-altitude aircraft enterprises, and application enterprises, the platform relies on a unified command system to integrate typical low-altitude application scenarios such as food delivery, urban inspection, low-altitude sightseeing, and emergency rescue in the same area. It serves as a demonstration platform for efficient and coordinated operation and integrated flight, realizing barrier-free air traffic and gradually building an "all-space unmanned system".

The forum invited low-altitude economy enterprises such as Shanghai FUKUN Technology Co., Ltd and Shanghai Wolante Aviation Technology Co., Ltd, and also arranged interactive exchanges with enterprises in aerospace, integrated circuits, new energy, new materials, and clean industries to discuss the linked development of future space and high-end manufacturing.

During the forum, two roundtable forums were held, namely "New Drivers, Linking the Future" and "High-End Manufacturing, Linked Development". Enterprise representatives and experts from the future space and high-end manufacturing industrial chains conducted in-depth discussions on promoting the interactive development of enterprises in the future space industrial chain.

The forum was guided by the Lin-gang Special Area Administration of China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone and the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, and hosted by the Shanghai Yangtze River Delta Modern Industry Development Promotion Association, the Shanghai Indoor Environmental Purification Industry Association, and China Electronics System Engineering No.2 Construction Co., Ltd. It was co-organized by the Low-Altitude Economy Industry Branch of the Shanghai Yangtze River Delta Modern Industry Development Promotion Association, PKU-IICSH, Shanghai Lingang Industrial Zone Economic Development Co., Ltd., and Shanghai Lingang New Area International Investment Development Co., Ltd.

The future space and high-end manufacturing, as important areas of emerging industries, are facing unprecedented development opportunities. The successful holding of this forum not only provided a platform for the industry to display innovative achievements and exchange cooperation experiences but also injected new impetus into promoting the high-quality development of the future space and high-end manufacturing fields. Participants said that they will take this forum as an opportunity to further strengthen exchanges and cooperation and jointly promote the prosperity and development of the future space and high-end manufacturing industries.