As China's low-altitude economy takes its tentative steps into global markets, the industry's search for talent is reaching beyond engineering labs and into international studies classrooms.
On March 20, the Guangzhou Baiyun District Government, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies (GDUFS), and Guangzhou-based eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) company EHang launched a joint talent training base at the GDUFS campus.
The GDUFS and EHang talent training base for the low-altitude economy is launched at the university's North Campus on March 20, 2026.
"In the early stages, we needed engineers to get aircraft off the ground," said Wang Zhao, Chief Operating Officer of EHang. "But the next leap forward requires market and legal experts who can operate on a global stage. This is where the talent gap lies."
"We want to provide students, including those from abroad, with the skills and job opportunities in this emerging industry," Wang added, suggesting that international graduates could serve as vital business liaisons between Chinese tech firms and their home countries.
Tang Chaozhang, Chairman of Wise Wings, a key co-organizer of the trilateral partnership, believes these students will act as natural "broadcasters" for the emerging industry.
"After experiencing this technology firsthand in Guangzhou, they can share these insights with their home nations," Tang said.
An eVTOL aircraft is parked at the stadium on the North Campus of GDUFS, March 20, 2026.
Shi Youqi, the top leader of GDUFS, emphasized that the marketization and internationalization of the low-altitude economy require "composite talents" who blend linguistic proficiency with international business, law, and cross-cultural communication.
The university provides a highly international environment as it currently hosts around 2,000 international students and maintains partnerships with over 500 institutions across 70 countries and regions, according to Shi.
An official from Baiyun District, where the university's North Campus is located, was optimistic that the trilateral partnership would fuel the growth of the local low-altitude sector.
He added that the district has already established a 1-billion-yuan investment fund to support the aerial economy, and an industrial cluster ranging from drone manufacturing to software development has formed.
Reporter | Chen Siyuan
Photo | Wise Wings
