From a light breeze to a gale of 50 m/s, a research institute in Guangzhou, southern China, can recreate it all. A wall of 48 high-power fans simulates turbulent air, gusts, and crosswinds between city buildings. It is South China’s first production wind tunnel, providing low-altitude aircraft makers in the Greater Bay Area with a testing ground close to home. It can cut development time to three to four months, and problems identified during testing can be found and fixed in as little as eight hours.

Elsewhere in Guangzhou, another company is using drones as an “airborne eye” to help traffic police monitor illegal parking. Hovering at 99 metres, the drone can capture clear license plate images and send them directly to traffic management systems in real time.

From wind tunnel testing to smart aerial patrols, Guangzhou’s low-altitude economy is moving from the lab into real-world use. The city is building a more complete low-altitude industrial chain and expanding application scenarios for aerospace technology.