Malaysia’s low altitude economy guidelines will be announced by year-end, says Loke, covering regulation and airspace integration
PUTRAJAYA: Guidelines on the Low Altitude Economy (LAE) are expected to be announced by the end of this year, providing a regulatory, operational and governance framework to support the safe integration of airspace into the economic sector, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said.
Speaking at a press conference after officiating the LAE forum here today, Loke said the guidelines being developed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia are expected to be announced at the Transport Expo Asia (TXA) 2026.
He said LAE offers a significant economic opportunity for Malaysia, as the Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and drone technology sectors are expanding rapidly, supported by billions of dollars in global investments.
“Countries around the world are actively developing their respective policies, technologies and ecosystems to capitalise on this emerging economic opportunity.
“For Malaysia, this is not just an opportunity in the aviation sector, but also a chance to attract high-value investments, create highly skilled jobs, strengthen the local technology ecosystem and enhance the country’s competitiveness at regional and global levels,” he said.
LAE refers to economic activities and public services carried out within the low-altitude airspace ecosystem, using technologies such as drones, AAM, air logistics, infrastructure inspections, smart agriculture and emergency services.
Loke said safety is a key aspect in the development of the LAE sector in the country, as it involves the national aviation sector regulated by CAAM.
“This is an important aspect in which CAAM has a role to play, as it is the technical regulator of the aviation industry.
“So anything that flies in our airspace must obtain approval from CAAM. We want to ensure that (these guidelines) will provides space for the LAE industry to grow rapidly in the country,” he said.
Loke said the LAE sector already exists in Malaysia, where it is being applied in agriculture through the use of drones for smart farming.
“The use of drones is increasingly common, including by the media, which uses them to capture videos, images and visuals.
“So anything that operates in the airspace must be regulated to ensure safety,” he said.
Also present at the event were Sarawak Transport Minister Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin, CAAM chairman Datuk Mohamed Sharil Tarmizi and CAAM chief executive officer Datuk Captain Norazman Mahmud.
