Current Status and Trends of Application Scenarios and Industrial Development in the Agricultural Low-Altitude Economy
摘要
[Significance]The agricultural low-altitude economy has rapidly emerged as a transformative force in rural modernization, catalyzed by advancements in intelligent technologies and gradual improvements in low-altitude airspace governance. It encompasses a wide array of applications where aerial platforms—particularly unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)—play a pivotal role in reshaping agricultural production, environmental monitoring, and rural management systems. Systematically analyzing the development trajectory and implementation pathways of agricultural low-altitude economy holds considerable significance for promoting cross-sector integration, accelerating policy and technological innovation, and enabling the widespread adoption of intelligent solutions across agriculture-related industries.[Progress]This review draws upon an extensive body of literature and applies keyword clustering analysis to systematically explore the development of the agricultural low-altitude economy. Based on 13 570 peer-reviewed articles retrieved from the Web of Science database between 2000 and 2024, the study reveals a rapid growth trajectory, particularly since 2011, driven by technological breakthroughs in UAVs, sensors, and intelligent analytics. Five representative application domains were identified: smart farming, animal husbandry, forestry, fisheries, and rural governance. Through the integration of bibliometric tools and structured keyword combinations, the study captures both the evolution of research focus and the expansion of technical capabilities. The results demonstrate that agricultural low-altitude economy has progressed from early-stage feasibility validation toward large-scale, multi-functional applications. At the same time, it has catalyzed the development of an emerging industrial framework encompassing equipment manufacturing, aerial service provision, operational support systems, and talent development. These trends highlight the growing maturity and strategic re