An issue of People’s Daily, published Nov. 22, featured the world’s first low-altitude 3D wind tunnel, now operating in Yesun Science Park in Guanlan, Longhua District.

The facility simulates complex urban wind conditions to tackle key safety-testing challenges for low-altitude aircraft and support the fast-growing low-altitude economy.

Developed by the ShenSI Lab of Shenzhen Institute for Advanced Study, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), the tunnel fills a global gap in low-altitude environment simulation.

The Shensi Lab of Shenzhen Institute for Advanced Study, UESTC in Guanlan, Longhua District. File photos

As the article notes, few of the world’s 1,000-plus wind tunnels can recreate real low-altitude conditions. The facility in Longhua changes this by precisely simulating urban canyons, heat island effects, wind shear, micro-bursts and other complex or extreme weather scenarios—offering solid scientific support for flight safety.

The lab develops world’s first low-altitude 3D wind tunnel facility.

The facility features two chambers (18 meters and 10 meters in diameter, respectively) and can test aircraft with wingspans up to 4 meters in VTOL, cruising and hovering modes. Its fan-matrix system generates wind speeds of up to 60 m/s within two seconds, while also controlling temperature, humidity and conditions such as rain, snow and hail. It has already provided testing services for several low-altitude enterprises.

A scene at the wind tunnel facility.

Shensi Lab is also planning a much larger facility for mid- to large-size aircraft with a wingspan of over 17 meters and drone-swarm testing, creating a complete closed-loop testing system for low-altitude aviation.