Over the last 15 years or so, personal drones and civilian low-earth-orbit satellites have substantially changed our activities both individually and collectively. Their emergence was supported by the rapid advancement of mechanical-electronics technologies, improved energy technologies, new and lighter materials, miniaturized and modularized components and design, and advanced but lower-cost manufacturing. With the rapid development and adoption of new generational vehicles including eVTOLs for un-crewed delivery flight vehicles as well as passenger-carrying missions in low altitude flight space, and an impressively fast-growing number of low-earth-orbit satellites for a wide range of operations, we are entering a new world.
The future of planetary sustainability, environmental monitoring, human connectivity, accelerated commerce, AI deployment and national dominance is interconnected. Capabilities of developing such systems are possessed only by selected entities. The balance between nation-to-nation rivalry versus accessibility to all eligible entities are of serious implications. Since the ownership of satellite orbit is not defined based on the sovereign identity, the developments and implications in these fast-developing sectors must be discussed in a global context.
Professor Wei Shyy, who visited RSIS as the speaker for the S. T. Lee Distinguished Annual Lecture held on 23 April 2026, spoke on the interconnectedness of future planetary sustainability, environmental monitoring, human connectivity, accelerated commerce, AI deployment, national dominance as well as nation-to-nation rivalry. Professor Shyy is Professor Emeritus of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
Watch the lecture here:
During his visit, Professor Shyy was also a guest on the In Conversation podcast where he touched on the rapid growth of the low-altitude and low-earth orbit economy, exploring advancements like flying taxis and satellites, the challenges of sustainability and space debris, and how rising US–China competition could shape governance, innovation, and everyday life on Earth.
Listen to the episode here:
