Invasion of the United States

Jeff Connally sat in his spacious office, the skyline of Miami's high-rise buildings visible through the floor-to-ceiling windows, with the warm golden glow of the sunset casting a light over his solid wood desk.

He habitually clicked on the latest issue of The Economist on his computer; this media outlet, renowned for its deep analysis of global economic, political, and business trends, always provided him with valuable insights.

As a paid subscriber, he particularly valued those professional industry research articles—the quality of writing is high, the perspectives are macro, and the trend forecasts are often spot-on.

However, today's headline made his fingers tremble slightly: "Electric Flight in Panama Gaining Attention."

Recently, aside from AI, "low-altitude economy" has become a beacon for the industry.

The reason is clear, Electric Flight has sparked a brand-new commercial topic in just two months, frequently appearing on major financial pages.

"Has the trend reversed? Not long ago it was still unfavorable." Jeff squinted his eyes, staring at the title with mixed feelings. "So fast!"

The Economist's comments on Dongda's economy have always been relentless.

Especially in recent years, as Dongda's growth slowed, harsh criticisms have almost become routine.

But this time, the usually picky media uncharacteristically praised Electric Flight highly, even using words like "logistics revolution" in its commendations.

Before opening the article, Jeff had already sensed something, "It's good news, but not my good news."

The report dispatched columnists deep into Panama, using an almost immersive observation method, recording Electric Flight's local testing and operational conditions.

The article starts with straightforward data:

"Electric low-altitude aircraft have increased the transport efficiency of perishable cold chain and emergency supplies by 300%.

Half a ton load is equivalent to 1,500 standard courier parcels (at 0.3 kg/parcel), with a smart sorting system, a single machine can cover five community delivery points in one day.

This will directly impact the current courier outlet layout, with end-point labor costs expected to drop by 40%, while solving the delivery challenges of the 'last mile' in mountainous and island areas."

Just with these two paragraphs, Jeff felt a dull pain in his chest, like an invisible hand clutching him hard. He rubbed his temples and murmured softly, "Its valuation won't be low, it'll only rise higher."

As the chairman of Pioneer Holdings, he knew too well the weight of such cutting-edge first-hand research reports—all people in the financial circle would read them and actively investigate.

The chairman also had KPI performance requirements—missing good opportunities would displease shareholders, and the company's stock price would likely fall as well.

Forcing himself to continue reading, the words on the screen felt like sharp knives stabbing directly at his heart.

"Warthog's carrying capacity far exceeds current agricultural drones, being able to cover over 250 acres of farmland in a single operation (based on spraying 2 liters/acre of pesticide).

Its time efficiency is 12 times higher than existing models.

After large-scale deployment, pesticide application costs in major grain-producing areas will drop from 8 yuan/acre to 3 yuan/acre, with pesticide utilization efficiency rising to 60% (industry average only 45%)."

Jeff's hand tore the paper on the desk, the pain in his heart growing—could that ugly Warthog not only handle freight but also interfere with agriculture?

Scrolling further down, the report's vision was even grander.

"In prairie scenes, Warthog can transport ten tons of hay or transfer 200 lambs in a single day.

Material turnover efficiency in pastoral areas will increase by more than 8 times, with livestock mortality rate expected to drop by 15%, completely solving the traffic issues of traditional trucks in prairie wetlands."

Jeff's eyes widened, almost slipping off his chair.

God, can it be used in ranching too?

Indeed, the vertical take-off and landing feature is practically tailored for prairies, where trucks struggle to navigate soft ground, but herders still have transportation needs.

Not to mention disaster scenarios:

"A fleet of 50 such drones can deliver 250 tons of materials within 24 hours, equivalent to the capacity of 100 trucks.

Disaster relief costs are only one-tenth of traditional airdrops, one percent of vehicle transport, and unaffected by road damage, offering extremely significant advantages in timeliness." This is part of a series from My Virtual Library Empire (M|V|L1EMPYR).

Will emergency relief departments buy it? The answer is obvious.

Relief is about racing against time; in the face of earthquakes, floods, and mudslides, mere minutes decide life and death.

The report did not forget to throw out a military-use bombshell:

"On the battlefield, three Warthogs can meet a mechanized infantry company's daily fuel and ammunition needs while easily transporting the wounded.

An armored division consumes 2,000 tons of supplies daily; 4,000 sorties of Warthogs can complete the resupply, being maneuverable and able to avoid the vulnerabilities of traditional supply lines easily under attack."

Jeff gasped, how could the military not be interested? He could even imagine generals scrambling to sign procurement orders.

Finally, the article's conclusion focused on Dongda's industrial upgrade:

"The supply chains of electric cars and electric aircraft are highly overlapping—battery, motor, and control technologies can be shared entirely.

Based on an estimated annual production of 100,000 units, Electric Flight will directly drive 50 billion yuan in total manufacturing output,

create a 200 billion yuan market in services (maintenance, training, data services, etc.), and generate 20,000 high-paying jobs."

The report also gave out a chilling conclusion—because of the support chain issues, other countries would find it very difficult to develop a low-altitude economy without Dongda.

Once Dongda's low-altitude economy takes off, it will be a dimension-reducing blow to other countries' automotive and general aviation industries.