As the global scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation accelerate, the low-altitude economy has emerged as an important growth pole of strategic emerging industries, and it has also spawned an urgent demand for interdisciplinary talents in "low-altitude economy + artificial intelligence". From January 5 to 7, 2026, the "Low-Altitude Economy AI+" UAV System and Intelligent Application Training Camp, together with the Sci-tech Innovation Culture Research Activity of Xuanwu District, hosted by Xuanwu · Modulus Institute, kicked off officially at Xuanwu · Modulus Institute. Gather the efforts of the government, universities and enterprises, the training camp was co-organized by Xuanwu · Modulus Institute and the National Graduate College for Elite Engineers of Southeast University under the guidance of the Science and Technology Bureau, Human Resources and Social Security Bureau and the Communist Youth League Committee of Xuanwu District, with the co-sponsorship of DJI Feiyue, Xuzhuang High-tech Zone, Jiangsu International Data Port, Xuanwu Large Model Factory and other institutions. It created a three-day immersive sci-tech innovation journey, helping students of the National Graduate College for Elite Engineers step onto the new track of integration of low-altitude economy and artificial intelligence. On January 8, Page 4 of Xinhua Daily published a feature article entitled Tearing Down the Professional "Walls" for Future Elite Engineers, covering the training camp in detail. The full text of the report is as follows:
Tearing Down the Professional "Walls" for Future Elite Engineers
Four UAVs flew low and maneuvered nimbly between the pile points, performing 90-degree turns, column-circling flights and diagonal crossings... On January 7, a UAV operation competition kicked off at the "Low-Altitude Economy AI+" UAV System and Intelligent Application Training Camp of the National Graduate College for Elite Engineers of Southeast University. Notably, the 54 postgraduate participants from 13 different majors were complete beginners in UAV operation just three days prior.
"This micro-course couldn't have come at a better time!" said Yin Dong, a third-year postgraduate majoring in Transportation Engineering at the college and the first prize winner of the competition. About to enter the workforce, he had already received job offers from several enterprises in traditional fields, yet he had always kept a close eye on the new track of the low-altitude economy. "I've always wanted to try more cutting-edge directions, but I never found a suitable entry point." In just three days, Yin Dong went from being too hesitant to touch the UAV to being able to complete the entire operation process independently. "With the UAV skills I've acquired, I now have the confidence to switch to this new track."
Such targeted empowerment is exactly the original intention of the college in designing the "Industrial Cutting-edge Micro-courses". Chen Yang, Deputy Party Secretary and Vice Dean of the National Graduate College for Elite Engineers of Southeast University, introduced that since the first batch of National Graduate College for Elite Engineers was approved for construction in 2022, breaking down professional "walls" has become the core proposition of the college's reform and exploration. In her view, the cultivation of elite engineering talents cannot rely solely on the scattered existing courses of traditional secondary colleges, but must construct an original curriculum system driven by real industrial projects and deeply integrating multidisciplinary knowledge.
To this end, the college has not only launched micro-courses closely integrated with cutting-edge technologies, but also pioneered the research, development and implementation of more than 30 school-enterprise co-constructed "333" degree courses nationwide (i.e., each course consists of 1/3 teaching by on-campus tutors, 1/3 sharing by enterprise tutors and 1/3 project practical training). This systematic reform has also transformed students' knowledge structure from "silos" to "networks".
"Genuine engineering problems never respect the boundaries of colleges and majors." Gao Qiang, Associate Professor of the School of Mechanical Engineering of Southeast University, admitted that in traditional classrooms, students from the School of Mechanical Engineering specialize in control algorithms but may not understand the chemical system of batteries; students from the School of Energy Engineering have a thorough grasp of cell principles but lack an understanding of how to conduct the "joint debugging and testing" of the entire vehicle. However, at the National Graduate College for Elite Engineers, the course Artificial Intelligence and Automotive Intelligence he teaches has broken this limitation—it is not only open to students within the project team, but also attracts a group of "cross-border learners" outside the project. Young people with different professional backgrounds are grouped together to conduct collaborative research on the same real enterprise R&D project.
"Those who are not defined by their disciplines often define the future." Chen Yang stated that the college plans to expand the dual-track model of "project-based degree courses + cutting-edge micro-courses" to more cutting-edge fields, and continuously improve the "four-in-one" talent training chain featuring "theories, discussions, practices and achievements", building a bridge for more students to connect with future industries.
Reprinted from Xinhua Daily (Reporter: Xie Shihan)
The highlights of this event
This training camp is an important practice to deepen the integration of industry and education and promote the cultivation of young talents in "low-altitude economy + artificial intelligence". During the three-day study, students of the National Graduate College for Elite Engineers not only learned and mastered the cutting-edge skills of UAV and AI integration, but also developed interdisciplinary perspectives and thinking through the integration of sci-tech innovation and humanities. After the training camp, the students responded enthusiastically, and some of them shared their insights as follows:
Student Wu, Software Engineering Major: My current research mainly focuses on the application of target detection in the field of AI images. This training has deepened my understanding of the low-altitude economy, and the multi-field applications of UAVs have provided a new perspective from mobile platforms for my research. As a beginner with no prior UAV experience, I mastered the full process of UAV flight through training and won the first prize in the assessment, achieving a dual improvement in professional cognition and practical operation ability.
Student Lin, Electronic Information Major: I have participated in UAV-related scientific research and competition projects, focusing on code and circuit design. This training camp has helped me make up for my shortcomings in practical operation. I further understood the current development status of the low-altitude economy and the multi-field application value of UAVs, mastered the basic UAV control skills in the real-machine training, and won the first prize in the competition with my teammates. The theoretical knowledge and practical skills I have learned provide important support for my subsequent professional study and career choices.
Student Wang, Biomedical Engineering Major: This training has expanded my knowledge horizon and helped me quickly build a basic understanding of UAV technology. The visits to sci-tech enterprises such as Hongshan New Town Planning and Design Museum and Central Asia Center allowed me to personally experience the charm of cutting-edge science and technology, understand the cutting-edge trends of regional planning and industrial development, and deeply realize the powerful force of science and technology in promoting social progress.
Student Han, Integrated Circuit Engineering Major: The compact and efficient training camp has brought me great gains. Enterprise visits showed me the broad prospects of technological empowerment for industries, and I gradually mastered the operation skills of quadrotor UAVs in the real-machine training. The team competition was not only a comprehensive test of the skills I had learned, but also made me deeply realize the importance of team cooperation, and I finally won the Outstanding Pilot Award. In general, this training made me feel the charm of engineering practice and helped me find the combination point between my major and the low-altitude economy.
Student Yang, Chemical Engineering Major: The three-day training camp was packed with content. What I learned was not only how to operate UAVs, but also the understanding that technology serves to solve problems. Therefore, more important than operation is to cultivate the thinking of solving problems and broaden one's horizons. The skills in our hands may be driving the arrival of a brand-new "low-altitude era".
Text and Images: Pan Siqi
Responsible Editor: Liu Yang
Reviewer: Chen Yang
