CPPCC Member Urges Tailored Airworthiness Rules For Low-Altitude Aircraft

China should establish a dedicated airworthiness certification framework for electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft and other low-altitude aircraft to support the sector's safe growth, national political advisor Shao Chi said.

Shao, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and vice chair of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Jiusan Society, said the industry is entering a fast-growth phase as the low-altitude economy gains momentum. Forecasts suggest the sector could top one trillion yuan by 2030, but gaps in technical evaluation and safety oversight still risk holding back higher-quality development.

He said the current certification scheme for conventional aircraft does not fully match the industrial characteristics of newer aircraft such as eVTOLs, which differ sharply in configuration and propulsion systems.

Last year, the State Administration for Market Regulation and other authorities issued the 2025 edition of the guideline for building a standards system for the low-altitude economy, aiming to advance standardization in the sector.

Shao said China should move faster to introduce dedicated airworthiness rules for eVTOLs, with mandatory technical requirements covering battery and other energy systems, propulsion stability and responses to flight-control failures.

He also called for a faster standards update mechanism built around the low-altitude economy standardization technical committee now under preparation, including regular reviews of core standards so mature innovations can be incorporated into national rules more quickly.

In parallel, he proposed exploring a regulatory sandbox model that would allow new technologies to be tested first in designated airspace, with operating data feeding back into future standards revisions.

For technologies and products that iterate quickly, Shao suggested creating a fast track that combines standard-setting with pilot verification, backed by tax relief, insurance subsidies and a fault-tolerant compensation mechanism.

He also proposed pre-review arrangements for companies applying for the three major airworthiness certificates, and priority assessment for more mature models or companies.

Shao said inconsistent testing methods directly affect low-altitude flight safety. He urged authorities to refine technical benchmarks, tighten control requirements and improve a classified safety supervision system tailored to different aircraft types.

He said regulators should adopt a combined certification model that links type testing, factory inspections and post-certification supervision to strengthen safety management across the full chain from manufacturing to operation.