(Policy Address 2024) Develop low-altitude economy to unlock new production factors for HK

John Lee said the government will establish the Working Group on Developing Low-altitude Economy to unlock the low-altitude airspace as a new production factor for Hong Kong’s economy.

Low-altitude economy, which refers to economic activities in airspace below 1,000 meters, presents a wide array of application scenarios including rescues, surveys, and delivery of goods and passengers.

Lee said formulating a management system for low-altitude economy will help drive development in areas such as telecommunication technologies, AI and the digital industry.

Led by the Deputy Financial Secretary, the new working group will formulate development strategies and inter-departmental action plans, starting with projects on low-altitude applications. 

“It will designate specific venues for such purposes, draw up regulations and design the institutional set-up, and study and map out plans to develop the required infrastructure and networks,” said Lee.

Relevant measures include:

Exploring low-altitude flying application scenarios - press ahead with pilot projects and designate venues to explore deploying drones for delivery, surveys, building maintenance, aerial photography, performances, search and rescue, and other possibilities;

Amending relevant regulations - including relaxing restrictions on beyond-line-of-sight flying activities, as well as those on weight and loading of drones, encouraging market research and investment, facilitating technology tests and developing aerial tours;

Promoting interface with the Mainland - explore with the Mainland authorities the joint establishment of low-altitude cross-boundary air routes, immigration and customs clearance arrangements and supporting infrastructure; and

Studying and planning for low-altitude infrastructure - develop a highly effective, intelligent, and digitalized low-altitude infrastructure system for the real-time management on networks of low-altitude activities. It will strategize solutions for complex management and safety issues arising from such activities. The working group will embark on technical studies and planning of support facilities for low-altitude activities - such as vertiports and charging stations, communications network, air route network, management of low-altitude flying activities and so on to lay the foundation for the low-altitude economy.