Approaching the Era of Integrated Operation of Manned and Unmanned Aircraft in the General Aviation Sector: Key Legal Challenges in China’s Low-Altitude Airspace Management

The emerging and upcoming integrated operations (IOs) of manned aircraft (MA) and unmanned aircraft (UA) in China, encompassing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) MA and UA, make effective low-altitude airspace (LAA) management a crucial imperative. The current framework, comprising regulations on airspace management, general aviation (GA) operations, and UA operations, along with local regulations and policies, faces several legal challenges. These include the absence of specialized national legislation for LAA management, fragmented local regulations, disputes over the application of GA and UA regulations, regulatory gaps in eVTOL UA, and the practical dilemma of the term ‘true height’. Notwithstanding these challenges, China’s experience in LAA management also holds value as a reference for other jurisdictions seeking to regulate IOs.