The 9th World Drone Congress wrapped up on Sunday in Shenzhen, South China’s Guangdong Province, after three days of showcasing advanced aerial technologies. The event highlighted China’s growing dominance in the global drone industry, with new innovations expected to reshape sectors like emergency response, transportation, and city management.
This year’s congress featured 825 exhibitors and displayed more than 5,000 drones. These included unmanned helicopters, multi-rotor aircraft, and electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. By the end of the event, deals worth 20 billion yuan (about 2.78 billion U.S. dollars) had been signed.
Shenzhen continues to play a key role in the drone industry. The city is home to 2,000 drone companies, which generate over 100 billion yuan (13.8 billion dollars) in annual revenue. Experts say Shenzhen now serves as the “Silicon Valley” of the drone world.
“China’s consumer drones make up 74% of the global market, and industrial drones account for 55%,” said Yang Jincai, chairman of the Shenzhen UAV Industry Association. “China has already mastered around 200 drone applications, and this number could grow to more than 2,000. There’s hardly anything drones can’t do.”
The congress also focused on powerful, heavy-duty drones designed for critical tasks.
One of the key attractions was a 1.4-ton unmanned aircraft with the ability to fly for up to eight hours. Sun Liye, vice-president of United Aircraft Group, said the drone could serve as an aerial ambulance, help with search and rescue operations, fight wildfires, and deliver emergency supplies.
Another innovation introduced at the event was a hybrid drone-robot platform. It uses compliant technology—flexible and shock-absorbing systems that improve flight stability and reduce recoil.
“We added robotic features to the drone platform,” said exhibitor Wang Yilin. “It’s lightweight and uses compliant technology, allowing it to perform tasks at over 2.5 times the efficiency of manual labor.”
