This photo taken on Nov. 13, 2024 shows the “Land Aircraft Carrier,“ a flying car developed by Chinese electric vehicle maker XPENG, at the low-altitude economy area of Airshow China in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

　　NANJING, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- Imagine standing atop the Great Wall, marveling at the sweeping vistas of rugged mountains, when a drone smoothly descends to deliver freshly brewed coffee.

　　This is not a scene from a science-fiction movie, but a glimpse into China's burgeoning low-altitude economy.

　　In Beijing, the first drone-based logistics route is now in service at the Badaling section of the Great Wall. Parched hikers who once had to trudge 50 minutes along steep paths to buy a drink can now, with a few taps on their smartphones, have a coffee or cola wafted into their hands in just five minutes.

　　Helicopter travel is no longer exclusive to the ultra-rich people. In Shanghai, multiple low-altitude passenger flights have opened to the public. A journey from Shanghai's Pudong airport to the city of Kunshan in the neighboring Jiangsu Province, which takes two hours by car, can now be completed in roughly 25 minutes by “air taxi.“

　　“I was worried about turbulence at first, but the ride was very smooth, with no uncomfortable ear pressure,“ said Ji Xiaojie, a Kunshan local who recently spent 1,600 yuan (about 223 U.S. dollars) on such a flight. “The scenic views made it a delightful experience, and I would like to try it again in the future.“

　　Low-altitude economy refers to the economic activities and industries centered around manned and unmanned aerial vehicles operating in the airspace usually within 1,000 meters above the ground.