[Long-Sky Dreamer] Special Interview by Economic Daily — A Conversation with Li Ye, Founder of Weihang Technology

Release Date:

2026-02-09

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On February 2, Li Ye, Chairman of Weihang Technology, granted a special interview to the Economic Daily. The conversation centered on his entrepreneurial journey and strategic decisions, detailing how he began at Tsinghua University by developing electric aviation technologies, led his team in early explorations of low‑altitude logistics, and then, in pursuit of a sustainable business model, decisively pivoted to the field of low‑altitude firefighting—ultimately pioneering the “Aoqin” high‑altitude fire‑fighting unmanned aerial vehicle system powered by ducted fans. During the interview, Li Ye emphasized that low‑altitude firefighting represents the application scenario with the greatest potential for large‑scale deployment of electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. Looking ahead, while continuing to deepen its expertise in emergency firefighting equipment, the company will also closely monitor advances in key technologies such as aviation‑grade power batteries and plans to initiate the development of flying cars at an appropriate time, steadily advancing toward the vision of efficient three‑dimensional urban mobility.

The following is an excerpt from the original text:

Skybound Dreamer

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In 2018, Li Ye was still a graduate student in the Department of Automotive Engineering at Tsinghua University. “During my studies, our entire research group focused on electric propulsion technologies for aviation, and I myself was particularly fascinated by drones and general aviation.” Together with his classmates, Li Ye’s team chose low‑altitude logistics delivery as their first entrepreneurial venture. “At the time, the logistics‑drone market was booming, and ducted‑fan drones—thanks to their design that encloses the propeller blades within a duct—offered greater safety.”

As the project progressed, Li and his team came to recognize the importance of a closed-loop business model: advancing a single technology alone is insufficient to support large-scale product deployment. “Low‑altitude logistics delivery is constrained by factors such as battery‑cost dynamics, urban operational environments, and regulatory frameworks, making it difficult to achieve scalable profitability even today.” Two years into the logistics drone initiative, Li began reevaluating potential use cases and the path toward commercialization.

The realization of a dream cannot be rushed; it always comes from the accumulation of small, incremental steps.

Manned flying cars represent a long-term vision for the development of electric aviation. During his daily commute through congested urban traffic, Li often reflects: to boost commuting efficiency, three-dimensional mobility is an inevitable trend. If the transportation sector is shifting from two dimensions to three, what about other fields?

Following this line of thought, Li also chose to apply flying-car technology to the field of low‑altitude firefighting. “Firefighting and rescue are closely tied to people’s daily lives, and three‑dimensional, high‑efficiency low‑altitude aerial vehicles may well represent the future direction of emergency firefighting equipment.” With this in mind, Li and his team began developing a ducted‑fan, high‑altitude, tethered, primary‑mission fire‑extinguishing drone system.

When we met Li Ye at the Zigong Aviation Industrial Park, he was already the chairman of Sichuan Weihang Intelligent Equipment Co., Ltd.

Reflecting on his entrepreneurial journey, Li shared with deep emotion: “At the time, market adoption of rotor‑type firefighting drones was far from promising, and their prospects faced considerable skepticism. However, after thorough deliberation, our team concluded that, from the perspectives of technological readiness, regulatory compliance, and a viable business model, low‑altitude fire‑fighting represents one of the most promising near‑term applications for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.”

From October 2024, when they first began engaging with the Zigong Aviation Industrial Park, to early 2025, when they had completed all the preparatory steps required for moving into the park, Li Ye and his team at times felt uncertain and lost—but they never wavered in their determination to realize their dream.

In the depths of winter, Zigong Fengming General Aviation Airport remains bustling, with aircraft taking off and landing at regular intervals, slicing through the sky in graceful arcs.

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In March 2025, Weihang’s independently developed “Aoqin” firefighting drone successfully completed a 100-meter flight‑and‑water‑spraying test at the Fengming General Airport in Zigong, marking the culmination of Li Ye and his team’s persistent efforts. However, in Li Ye’s view, passing the flight test is only a small step: “Going forward, our team will focus on scaling up production and ensuring timely delivery, thereby safeguarding public fire safety.”

Looking ahead, Li harbors even greater ambitions: to closely monitor advances in aviation‑grade battery technology, build on the success of low‑altitude firefighting operations, and, when the time is right, embark on the development of flying cars—ultimately realizing the dream of soaring through the skies.

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symbolism

Weihang Technology

Weihang Technology is a technology company founded by Tsinghua University alumni, mastering internationally leading eVTOL electric ducted‑fan jet propulsion technology. Guided by the mission of leveraging technological innovation to make living safer and travel more efficient, the company is dedicated to providing cutting‑edge propulsion solutions for urban air‑mobility flying vehicles. In the near term, the company will prioritize addressing critical pain points in the emergency management sector, initially deploying next‑generation aviation‑grade jet propulsion technology in high‑rise fire‑rescue scenarios. It has pioneered a groundbreaking cross‑disciplinary innovation that bridges two strategic emerging industries—safety‑critical emergency response and the low‑altitude economy—offering a solution that can fundamentally address the global challenge of inadequate primary firefighting equipment in urban high‑rise buildings. Moving forward, Weihang will continue to develop and apply electric ducted‑fan jet propulsion systems and their associated flight platforms across domains including low‑altitude firefighting, emergency rescue, flying cars, and three‑dimensional transportation, striving to become a leader in the next generation of electric aviation propulsion systems.

Real-life photos of the ducted-fan, high-altitude tethered firefighting drone.

Keywords:

A new benchmark in emergency equipment, solving the challenge of extinguishing fires over 100 meters | “Ao Qin” featured in China Emergency Management.

The review meeting for Weihang Technology’s “Ao Qin” research plan on tactical and operational methods for firefighting and rescue in high-rise buildings was successfully held.

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