Energy storage low altitude economy

What is a low-altitude economy?

By the 2010s, the concept of a so-called low-altitude economy (LAE) began to take shape, with companies like Uber Elevate and Lilium envisioning a future of urban / regional air transportation for both passengers and goods (Xie et al., 2016; Xiong et al., 2024; Huang et al., 2024).

Can unmanned aerial vehicles be used in low-altitude airspace?

Advances in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, particularly for military, commercial, and consumer applications, marked the beginning of a new era in the potential for low-altitude airspace usage (Stöcker et al., 2017; Wandelt et al., 2023).

How can affluent and low-income communities benefit from drone technology?

Financial incentives like subsidies, grants, and tax breaks can play a critical role in supporting underserved businesses and individuals. Investments in drone infrastructure, digital connectivity, and balanced service deployment are essential to prevent disparities between affluent and low-income areas.

How can ICAO and other countries contribute to the success of Lae?

From an international perspective, the collaborative agreements developed by both the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and individual nations have a positive effect on the success of LAE (D'Amato et al., 2018; Aposporis, 2024). In summary, coordination is essential for the successful integration of UAVs into LAE.

Can small aircraft operate in urban environments?

Innovations in electric propulsion, battery storage, and vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) technology further accelerated this vision, making it feasible to develop small, nimble aircraft capable of operating in urban environments (Xu et al., 2020; Fan et al., 2020; Khan et al., 2022).

How can UAVs improve operational efficiency?

Such interfaces could incorporate advancements in augmented reality and large language models to enhance situational awareness and operational efficiency (Wandelt et al., 2024c; Liu, 2024; Geske et al., 2024). Supporting collaborative autonomy - where UAVs can work alongside humans in shared tasks - represents another area for policy focus.