Low-Altitude Economy Gains Momentum

Welcome back to the Aviation Newsletter, your go-to podcast for the pulse of everything that flies. I’m Jovie, and this podcast is powered by the team at Starrime. Whether you’re a lifelong aviation enthusiast, a frequent flyer or simply curious about the world above the clouds, we’re truly grateful to have you with us. This year, we’ll continue to bring you deeper insights, compelling stories from the industry and updates on the technology shaping the future of flight. We always welcome your thoughts and feedback in the comments. The podcast remains available in both English and Chinese. Thank you for being on this journey with us. Now, let’s explore what’s making news in aviation today.




新闻1：mp.weixin.qq.com
Low-Altitude Economy Gains Momentum After Being Included in Government Work Report for Three Consecutive Years
March 6, 2026
The 2026 Government Work Report of China states efforts will be made to cultivate and expand emerging and future industries, and develop the low-altitude economy into a new pillar industry. This marks the third consecutive year that the low-altitude economy has been included in the report, following 2024 and 2025, with its status upgraded to an emerging pillar industry.
The low-altitude economy covers low-altitude manufacturing, operation, infrastructure and related services, and has entered a stage of accelerated development. During the Spring Festival of 2026, a wide range of low-altitude application scenarios emerged, including unmanned aircraft, water airports, low-altitude commuting and drone delivery. These applications are becoming increasingly popular and large-scale. In 2025, the industry achieved breakthroughs in both policies and market development. There were 255 investment cases in the primary market throughout the year, a year-on-year increase of more than 70 percent, with a total financing volume of 18.331 billion yuan.
There are now more than 160,000 enterprises related to low-altitude economy in China. In 2025, 49,200 new enterprises were registered, up more than 140% year on year. A number of regulatory policies have been released to support orderly development. The revised Civil Aviation Law will take effect on July 1, 2026, further improving the institutional environment.
According to forecasts, China’s low-altitude economy will reach 1.5 trillion yuan in 2025 and exceed 3.5 trillion yuan by 2035. In the A-share market, 70 listed companies operate in the sector with a total market value of 1.78 trillion yuan. Eleven industrial chain stocks have received significant capital increases, showing that the industry is entering a period of accelerated and standardized growth.




新闻2：www.cannews.com.cn
Air China Plans to Resume Flights Between Beijing Capital International Airport and Pyongyang Sunan International Airport
March 18, 2026
Air China plans to resume passenger flights from Beijing to Pyongyang at the end of March 2026. The route is one of the few important international air routes of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
According to flight schedule data from OAG, Air China will restart services between Beijing Capital International Airport and Pyongyang Sunan International Airport starting March 30. The route will be operated by Boeing 737-700 aircraft at the initial stage, with one flight per week, offering a total of approximately 256 seats for round-trip services.
This is Air China’s first regular passenger service to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea since early 2020. The route was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the suspension, there were up to 3 flights per week.
The Beijing-Pyongyang route is one of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s most important international air routes, connecting the country with its largest trading partner, China. At present, Air Koryo operates 2 weekly flights between Beijing and Pyongyang, 2 flights to Shenyang, and 3 flights to Vladivostok, Russia.
Along with the resumption of air services, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is gradually restoring cross-border transport links. In early March 2026, passenger rail services between China and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea resumed after a 6-year suspension. There are 4 weekly trains between Beijing and Pyongyang, and daily trains between Dandong and Pyongyang.
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea closed its borders in early 2020 and gradually eased restrictions from 2024. Data shows that bilateral trade between China and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea reached about 2.74 billion US dollars in 2025, up 25% year on year, but still lower than the level before 2017.




新闻3：www.cannews.com.cn
Over 10% of US Airport Security Officers Absent on Sunday Due to 30-Day Government Shutdown
March 18, 2026
Foreign media reported on March 17 that the partial US government shutdown has entered its 30th day. Affected by this, more than 10% of airport security officers under the US Transportation Security Administration were absent from work between March 14 and 15, while the normal absence rate of the agency’s employees is no more than 2%. Since the agency’s funding ran out on February 14, the absence rate of security officers at airports in Atlanta, New York, Houston and other cities has remained around 20%. Between March 15 and 16, the absence rate at some airports in Houston even exceeded 50%, and that in New Orleans and Atlanta also surpassed 30%, leaving passengers waiting in security lines for more than 2 hours at times. In addition, 366 TSA employees have resigned during the shutdown.
At present, about 50,000 airport security officers across the United States are forced to work without pay. The partial government shutdown has disrupted air travel and aroused widespread concern in the aviation industry. Chief executives of major US airlines jointly called on Congress to end the deadlock on Sunday, pointing out that the spring holiday travel peak is approaching and too many passengers are facing unusually long waits. Previously, members of Congress tried to promote a bill to fund the agency but failed. The current shutdown stems from Congress’ failure to reach an agreement on immigration enforcement reform.
With the spring travel peak approaching, many US airlines are expected to serve about 171 million passengers, an increase of 4% compared with the same period last year. Affected by the shutdown, some airports have closed some security checkpoints, and others are trying to raise funds to help unpaid security officers buy food and other necessities.




新闻4：www.ainonline.com
Garmin Adds 15 Guided Visual Procedures to Its Database
March 17, 2026
Garmin announced on March 17, 2026 that it has added 15 new approach procedures and 10 new airports for subscribers of its Guided Visual Approach database. The Guided Visual Approach can be loaded on avionics and integrated with manual control or autopilot, just like traditional instrument approaches, providing pilots with stable and unobstructed lateral and vertical guidance all the way to the runway.
This function is compatible with aircraft equipped with Garmin WAAS avionics and RF ranging capability, including GTN and GTN Xi series navigators, as well as selected Garmin integrated cockpits. Approaches are displayed on geo-referenced approach charts via Garmin FliteCharts, briefed and flown like standard procedures, and are only intended for use in visual meteorological conditions. The updated database now includes procedures at airports such as Long Beach, San Jose, Macon County, Aspen, and Salida.
According to Garmin, Guided Visual Approaches can improve approach safety and make visual approaches more stable for high-speed turbine aircraft, especially at high-elevation airports with numerous obstacles. The system also helps pilots more easily maintain visual reference to the runway at night in environments surrounded by urban lights, further enhancing operational safety.




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