Edge Intelligence-Driven Low-Altitude IoT via Digital Twin: Requirements, Challenges and Solutions

As the core infrastructure supporting applications such as air traffic management, logistics, and emergency rescue, the low-altitude Internet of Things (LAIoT) has experienced explosive growth in recent years. However, it faces bottlenecks including latency sensitivity, limited bandwidth, and security risks. Edge intelligence enables low-latency data processing, while digital twin (DT) constructs visual management and control capabilities via virtual-real mapping. The integration of edge intelligence and DT provides a promising approach for the development of LAIoT. This article proposes an edge intelligence-driven LAIoT via DT from the perspective of requirements, challenges, and technical solutions. We first introduce the core requirements of DT-enabled LAIoT, including sustainability, efficiency, and security. Secondly, the DT-enabled LAIoT framework integrating the cloud, edge, and terminal layers is presented. Thirdly, the state-of-the-art approaches for DT-enabled LAIoT are provided to meet the core requirements. Moreover, a case study of edge intelligence task scheduling in the proposed framework is conducted to validate the system performance. Finally, the future directions for facilitating high-quality development of the low-altitude economy are discussed.