Recently, at the Huiyang District Sports and Exhibition Center, UAVs hovered in the air pulling banners, robotic dogs patrolled the check-in area, and a formation of 80 UAVs staged a smoke show. The 2025 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (Huizhou) UAV Racing Grand Prix, together with the UAV Photography Contest for the Leading Zone around Nankun Mountain and Luofu Mountain and the 7th iFlight UAV Competition, kicked off here, with live broadcasts available on major online streaming platforms simultaneously. A signing ceremony for low-altitude economy industrial projects was held on site at the same time, where four key projects were successfully inked.
Hosted jointly by the Huizhou Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, Tourism and Sports and the People’s Government of Huiyang District, the competition also marked the opening of the Huiyang Winter Cultural and Tourism Consumption Season themed “Act with Benevolence, Warmth in Winter”.
Low-Altitude Economy: From Technological Demonstration to Industrial Implementation
This round of project signings demonstrates Huiyang’s resolve to make forward-looking layout and pragmatic advancement on the new track of the low-altitude economy, marking a crucial leap for the local low-altitude economic development — from technological demonstration to industrial landing, and from tournament traffic to economic growth.
Dubbed Asia’s first UAV competition with a million-level prize pool, the event boasts a total prize fund of RMB 1 million, standing as a prestigious industry gala that aims to boost industrial development through competitions and cultivate talents through contests. It has attracted 353 athletes from 25 regions across China, 61 racing clubs and 32 teams to participate. The contestants, aged from 6 to 47, include many top-tier pilots such as members of the national team, making the competition a perfect combination of high athletic standards and spectacular viewing experience.
“The low-altitude economy is developing rapidly nowadays, and more and more enthusiasts are joining this field,” said Hu Jingyuan, a 15-year-old contestant from Jingmen, Hubei Province. “UAV pilots are becoming increasingly skilled and competitive, and I look forward to achieving good results in the competition.”
“Musical Staff” Race Track Integrates Cultural Identity, the Competition Energizes the Cultural and Tourism Industry
The track design of this competition is an ingenious masterpiece, cleverly incorporating Huiyang’s cultural identity as the “City of Guitars”. Inspired by the treble clef, the 700-meter track is equipped with over 30 highly difficult obstacles, perfectly blending the passion of racing with musical rhythms and local characteristics.
Yang Dinghui, Chairman of the Huizhou Low-Altitude Economy Industry Alliance, President of the Huizhou Model Sports Association and Chairman of Huizhou iFlight Innovation Technology Co., Ltd., commented: “The competition has boosted talent cultivation. The low-altitude economy is not merely an economic sector, but also encompasses aviation sports, aviation culture and tourism, and other related sectors.”
Highlighting a team competition system that upholds the spirit of “sharing weal and woe”, the competition also set up an industrial experience zone, committed to forming a virtuous circle of “tournaments driving R&D, and R&D empowering industries”.
As an important node city in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Huiyang is seizing the strategic opportunity of the low-altitude economy, actively nurturing new-quality productive forces, and promoting the in-depth integration of the low-altitude economic industry. Huang Shaoying, a relevant person in charge of Guangdong Huifei Low-Altitude Development Technology Co., Ltd., has taken a fancy to this development advantage and plans to deploy low-altitude economy integration projects in Huiyang.
“We will build a production plant for medium and large-sized UAVs in Huiyang in the follow-up,” said Huang Shaoying. The company will focus on R&D, production and education as its core development directions in the future, and Huiyang’s geographical location is highly suitable for UAV testing.
Kicked off with this grand competition, the Huiyang Winter Cultural and Tourism Consumption Season was launched simultaneously. A series of follow-up events will be rolled out, including the China Animation Industry Annual Conference, the “Tour Huiyang from North and South” campaign, winter vacation research tours, and “Celebrate the Chinese New Year in Huiyang”, fully showcasing the enthusiasm of “Red Huiyang” and the charm of “Vibrant Huiyang”.
The competition has boosted talent cultivation. The low-altitude economy is not merely an economic sector, but also encompasses aviation sports, aviation culture and tourism, and other related sectors.
— Yang Dinghui, Chairman of the Huizhou Low-Altitude Economy Industry Alliance
We will build a production plant for medium and large-sized UAVs in Huiyang in the follow-up.
— Huang Shaoying, Relevant Person in Charge of Guangdong Huifei Low-Altitude Development Technology Co., Ltd.
