The University of Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area Low-Altitude Economy Alliance agreed on Monday to jointly promote the low-altitude economy through a new master’s program and all-round collaboration.
The program – a Master of Science in Engineering in Low-Altitude Technology -- plans to enroll more than 100 students annually from September next year.
According to HKU, the course will focus on technology innovation and the commercial operation of unmanned aerial vehicles.
The move was revealed at a signing ceremony on a Memorandum of Understanding between HKU and the alliance, which involves professionals and scholars dedicated to promoting the low-altitude economy in the special administrative region.
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The low-altitude economy, which refers to economic activities in airspace below 1,000 meters, incorporates a wide array of application scenarios, including rescues, surveys, and delivery of goods and passengers.
Both sides agreed to collaborate in education and technology transfer projects, integrate resources, and co-develop training courses and qualification-recognition systems, in a bid to forge a sustainable talent-development platform.
The alliance will recommend up to 10 qualified students for the program each year. It will also invite renowned UAV experts and entrepreneurs to give lectures, and organize company visits to help students grasp the UAV industry trend from a first-hand perspective.
HKU will also set up a research center for the low-altitude economy and launch a test route for drones to gather operational experience.
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For technology transfer projects, both parties agreed to share resources to promote academic and technological research in UAVs, and jointly commercialize research outcomes if conditions permit.
Elizabeth Quat Pei-fan, a lawmaker and founding president of the alliance, said a key task of the alliance is to gather all relevant sectors to help the SAR government promote developing the low-altitude economy, and cultivate high-quality UAV talents for Hong Kong and the nation.
She hopes such cooperation can help the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area leverage the burgeoning low-altitude economy market and set a good example for other parts of the country.
HKU Vice-President Max Shen Zuojun said HKU is extremely interested in the industry for multi-dimensional and interdisciplinary purposes.
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He pledged that the university will team up with the alliance and other local partners to make the low-altitude economy research center a united innovation platform.
In his latest Policy Address, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said the low-altitude economy will unlock the low-altitude airspace as a new production factor for the local economy, pledging that the SAR government will invest more resources and amend relevant regulations to encourage the sector's growth.
From September next year, Hong Kong Polytechnic University will launch a Master of Science course under the low-altitude economy program to enhance students’ innovative abilities to seize market demand and explore emerging trends.
