China's satellite navigation sector achieved a record 575.8 billion yuan ($79.9 billion) in output value for 2024, marking a 7.39% year-on-year growth, according to a government-backed industry white paper released Sunday. The figures underscore the country's accelerating leadership in space-based positioning technologies.
Tech Innovation at Scale
With over 129,000 patents filed – more than any other nation – China now dominates global satellite navigation R&D. The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) forms the backbone of this success, enabling precise positioning in 288 million Chinese smartphones and guiding vehicles across 99% of urban and rural roads through 1 trillion daily location requests.
Smart Cities Take the Wheel
Over 50 Chinese cities are testing BeiDou-powered autonomous vehicles, while daily navigation services facilitate 4 billion kilometers of travel. Internationally, BDS technology now features in standards set by 11 major organizations including the International Civil Aviation Organization, with exports reaching 140 countries and regions.
