Hong Kong may soon have drones delivering letters, medication and takeaway

Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong says first steps towards ‘low-altitude economy’ will probably involve delivery of light items

Reading Time:2 minutes

A drone delivers takeaway food in Shenzhen. Photo: Getty Images

Published: 10:14pm, 19 Oct 2024

Hong Kong authorities are considering allowing the use of drones to deliver lighter items such as letters and medication as the first steps towards creating a “low-altitude economy” and aim to amend regulations by next year, a senior government official has said.

But Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun, who is leading a new working group tasked with launching the effort, said on Saturday it was currently “unrealistic” to predict the economic contribution wider use of drones would bring.

Wong said his group would hold its first meeting next month and examine possible pilot projects, which could be open for applications by the end of this year and be implemented in early 2025.

“We will partner with the industry and partner organisations in taking forward the pilot projects,” he said, adding that some companies had already expressed an interest in participating in the field.

The low-altitude economy generally refers to activities in airspace below 1,000 metres (3,281 feet), including goods delivered by drones or passenger flights using electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft.

“The first phase of the project is expected to focus primarily on drone delivery, such as takeaway and lighter packages, such as letters and medications,” Wong said.