Lawmakers urge development of low-altitude economy

The SAR government should establish an interdepartmental working group and formulate comprehensive strategies to develop Hong Kong's low-altitude economy, said lawmakers.This integrated economic model would encompass both manned and unmanned civil aircraft operations within a low-altitude airspace extending up to 3,000 meters, they added.

Lawmakers from the smart living promoting group, formed in 2022, urged the government to pilot the application of unmanned aircraft in various industries such as tourism, logistics and city management.This would provide a practical foundation for legislative amendments to loosen restrictions on unmanned aircraft usage.

The lawmakers visited Shenzhen's Yantian, Bao'an and Longhua districts this month where they witnessed and rode unmanned aircraft.

Lawmaker Elizabeth Quat Pei-fan said unmanned aircraft have been successfully flying in the mainlandfor three years with stable operations, but Hong Kong has yet to make significant progress in this area.

"The Hong Kong government should promptly establish an interdepartmental working group on the low-altitude economy to formulate comprehensive strategies for the development of this sector," Quat said.

Lawmaker Yiu Pak-leung from the tourism sector said Hong Kong should learn from and catch up with the country's advanced integration of culture, tourism and technology.He believed the application of new technologies is necessary to upgrade Hong Kong's tourism industry, which requires the government to remove barriers and restrictions.

Yiu proposed to set up trial programs for unmanned aircraft touring flights at the Global Geopark in Sai Kung, South Lantau and Sha Tau Kok to let visitors enjoy the scenic views of the city.

"The price will be affordable, as similar programs in the mainland would charge 200 to 300 yuan per 10-minute flight upon official launch by the end of next month," he said.

Beyond tourism, lawmaker Andrew Lam Siu-lo said unmanned aircraft can also serve in other occasions, such as rescue works, emergency support and environmental monitoring.Lam also proposed to trial food delivery at Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, cross-boundary cargo transportation between the North District and the mainland, as well as air commuting services for outlying islands.

However, Hong Kong's regulation on the weight of small unmanned aircraft is still limited to less than 25 kilograms, which is far lower than the mainland's 250kg to 600kg.

stacy.shi@sinngtaonewscorp.com