Food deliveries by drone to take flight in Hong Kong as early as April
One lawmaker also expects authorities to ease civil aviation regulations by October to allow wider usage of commercial drones
Hong Kong residents may be able to have food delivered by drones as early as April, with one lawmaker expecting civil aviation regulations to be relaxed by October to allow wider usage of commercial unmanned aerial vehicles.
Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said on Thursday that businesses involved in pilot drone projects could start offering their services next month.
Projects that used drones under a “sandbox” scheme included CLP Power for monitoring transmission towers, food delivery services and emergency rescuers sending first-aid resources, she said.
“We hope that as the routes and infrastructure develop, these sandbox projects will become commercially operational,” she said at a launch ceremony for the Low-Altitude Economy Regulatory Sandbox.
The sandbox project was launched last November to help the government in testing airspace operations and infrastructure, while also developing policies and regulatory guidelines for the industry.
Among proposed amendments to the existing Small Unmanned Aircraft Order are increasing the weight limit of drones from 25kg (55lbs) to 150kg and allowing flying beyond the pilot’s sight.