In China, the low-altitude economy is flourishing, leading to a continuous increase in demand for professionals such as pilots, flight controllers, and aircraft developers. 

Luo Hanqing, a helicopter pilot in Shenzhen with 12 years of experience and over 7,000 hours of flight time, notes that the growth of low-altitude operations has significantly increased flight missions. His company now employs over a hundred pilots and continues to recruit more staff and enhance training programs. "In addition to operational skills, we also need to learn about flight path design," Luo adds.  

Reflecting on pilot training, he recalls that it took him about eight months to learn flying, with approximately 200 hours of flight training. However, with the development of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, the industry believes that pilot training will become more streamlined and accessible in the future.

The development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is also propelling the low-altitude economy towards greater intelligence. These vehicles do not require pilots and can be operated through real-time ground monitoring. Liu Ye, a 20-year-old drone operator who has obtained a drone pilot license certified by the Civil Aviation Administration, explains that drones are widely used in aerial photography, power line inspections, and mapping, among other fields. "There are many job options to choose from," he says.

It is estimated that there is currently a talent gap of one million for drone operators. Yang Jincan, president of the Shenzhen UAV Industry Association, states that there is a huge demand for drone operators in areas such as agricultural and forestry protection, inspections, mapping, and environmental protection. In the future, eVTOL operators are also expected to become a popular new profession.

Source: Lingnan on the Cloud

中国低空经济蓬勃发展，无人机操控员岗位缺口达百万

在中国，低空经济正在蓬勃发展，相关行业对于飞行员、飞控手、飞行器研发等人才的需求也在持续增长。

深圳直升机飞行员罗汉卿从业12年，飞行时长超过7000小时。他表示，低空业务的增长使飞行任务显著增加，公司飞行员人数已达百余人，公司目前还在增派人手，增加技能培训。“除了操控技能，我们还要学习航路设计等内容，”罗汉卿补充道。 

谈到飞行员培训，他回忆自己学习飞行耗时约8个月，飞行训练时长200小时左右。然而，随着垂直电动升降飞行器（eVTOL）的发展，业内认为未来飞行员培养将更为简化，同时降低入门门槛。

无人驾驶飞行器的研发也在推动低空经济向智能化方向迈进，这类飞行器无需驾驶员操作，地面工作人员通过实时监控即可实现低空飞行。20岁的无人机操控员刘烨已取得民航部门认证的无人机驾驶执照。他介绍，无人机广泛应用于航拍、电力巡检和测绘等领域，“选择的岗位非常多。”  

据估算，目前无人机操控员的人才缺口已达100万。深圳市无人机行业协会会长杨金才表示，农林植保、巡检、测绘、环保等领域对无人机操控员的需求十分庞大，而未来eVTOL操控员也将成为新的热门职业。  

文｜来源于央视财经
译｜赵凡
英文审校｜洪婷