As low-altitude airspace becomes increasingly accessible and eVTOL(electric vertical take-off and landing)technologies advance,the low-altitude economy has emerged as a transformative frontier in urban mobility and in...As low-altitude airspace becomes increasingly accessible and eVTOL(electric vertical take-off and landing)technologies advance,the low-altitude economy has emerged as a transformative frontier in urban mobility and industrial restructuring.Although countries face comparable technological opportunities,their development paths diverge significantly.This divergence is shaped not only by policy choices and innovation capacity but also by underlying differences in institutional architectures,resource configurations,and implementation mechanisms.This paper proposes a Development Path Evolution Model grounded in four structural elements:technological capability,institutional systems,infrastructure,and application scenarios.Based on this framework,the study identifies three archetypal path types(technology-led,institution-led,and scenario-driven)and empirically validates the model through comparative case studies of the United States,Europe,and Japan.Applying the model to China reveals a distinct"hybrid scenario-driven path",characterized by demand-responsive pilots,decentralized institutional flexibility,and strong engineering capacity.Using Shanghai as a representative case,the study outlines five strategic levers to guide its transition from a localized pilot zone to a platform-based governance hub with national and international relevance.The research contributes to theoretical understanding of path differentiation in emerging industries and provides actionable insights for developing economies with strong mobilization capacity and industrial ecosystems.展开更多
文摘As low-altitude airspace becomes increasingly accessible and eVTOL(electric vertical take-off and landing)technologies advance,the low-altitude economy has emerged as a transformative frontier in urban mobility and industrial restructuring.Although countries face comparable technological opportunities,their development paths diverge significantly.This divergence is shaped not only by policy choices and innovation capacity but also by underlying differences in institutional architectures,resource configurations,and implementation mechanisms.This paper proposes a Development Path Evolution Model grounded in four structural elements:technological capability,institutional systems,infrastructure,and application scenarios.Based on this framework,the study identifies three archetypal path types(technology-led,institution-led,and scenario-driven)and empirically validates the model through comparative case studies of the United States,Europe,and Japan.Applying the model to China reveals a distinct"hybrid scenario-driven path",characterized by demand-responsive pilots,decentralized institutional flexibility,and strong engineering capacity.Using Shanghai as a representative case,the study outlines five strategic levers to guide its transition from a localized pilot zone to a platform-based governance hub with national and international relevance.The research contributes to theoretical understanding of path differentiation in emerging industries and provides actionable insights for developing economies with strong mobilization capacity and industrial ecosystems.
