Meituan could be the first to run drone delivery service in HK

Food delivery platform Meituan said on Monday it is hoping to become one of the first companies to operate drone flights for delivery service in Hong Kong.

The news came as a government working group on developing low-altitude economy in the city said earlier it will launch sandbox pilot projects early next year, with the projects first phase to mainly cover drone deliveries.

The working group has also formulated details of the sandbox pilot projects, including eligibility and application procedures.

Meituan said the company is planning to submit applications to the SAR government to hopefully become the first companies to mount drone delivery services.

The group said Hong Kong's complex terrain poses challenges for surface delivery, which can be addressed by using drones.

It added that its self-developed navigation system ensures the safety of the drone flights even in areas with poor communication signals, making it suitable for the densely built environment of Hong Kong.

Currently, the Chinese on-demand delivery giant has drone routes for delivery in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, with Shenzhen as the core.

As of the end of September 2024, it operates about 40 drone routes in Shenzhen.