Low-altitude sightseeing lifts off in Hainan

HAIKOU - Tourists can enjoy a bird's eye view of China's southernmost island province after a low-altitude airspace pilot project opened to the public on Wednesday.

Hainan Sanya Jubilee General Aviation Co Ltd offers helicopter flights over island resorts from the provincial capital of Haikou to other tourist attractions in Wenchang, Bo'ao, Wanning and Sanya in the province.

Low-altitude airspace refers to a flying height of between 100 meters and 1,000 meters above ground.

The State Council, China's cabinet, and the military authority jointly decided in November 2010 to open up the country's low-altitude airspace to general aviation.

In preparation for commercial low-altitude flights, four service stations in the cities of Shenyang, Shenzhen and Zhuhai as well as Hainan Province will be in use to provide maintenance and refueling.

Cities like Beijing and Chengdu have offered small-scale commercial flight services, but Hainan offers the largest airspace for low-altitude flying.

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