Hong Kong should tap tech firms, find drone test sites in ‘low-altitude economy’ push: observers

They set out the suggested top priorities on Thursday after a transport official said authorities were exploring the use of drones to deliver goods in the New Territories while also seeking to “remove barriers” to grow the industry.

Eric Yeung Chuen-sing, founder and honorary president of the Smart City Consortium, said a “market-oriented approach” was needed, and authorities should formulate policies to make investment in the sector worthwhile.

He added that private companies had taken the lead in Shenzhen’s development of low-altitude logistics operations, transport and drone delivery.

“The reason for Shenzhen’s success is precisely because it is not the government itself that is taking action, but rather it is facilitating the development of many private companies. The government primarily serves as a guide,” Yeung told a radio programme.

Shenzhen announced last week that it would launch a helicopter service from the Shenzhen North high-speed rail station as part of its goal to build a low-altitude transport network connecting 90 per cent of the Greater Bay Area within an hour.

The service will be operated by Heli-Eastern, a Shenzhen-based pilot firm approved by the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

“If people are genuinely interested in operating in the industry, I believe we should proactively engage with these start-up companies, directly understand their difficulties and help them solve these problems. This is the way to truly drive progress,” Yeung said.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang earlier singled out the low-altitude economy as one of the areas the country needed to foster as a new growth engine.

Lawmaker and engineer Chan Siu-hung said Europe, the United States and the mainland had made significant progress, particularly in electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

The first step for Hong Kong was to dismantle regulatory barriers after reviewing the experience of other jurisdictions, as the city’s laws did not currently allow uncrewed or cargo-carrying aircraft that weighed more than 250kg (551lbs), he said.

“The priority should be to address the legal and regulatory aspects and make necessary amendments,” Chan told the same radio programme.

The legislator noted that many places could be used for pilot projects, such as the Science Park tech hub in Pak Shek Kok or West Kowloon, where authorities could also consider setting up eVTOL stations.

“A thorough risk assessment can be conducted by carefully planning routes and establishing dedicated channels or pathways within the airspace,” he said.

“Once the location and relevant channels or routes are determined, a trial can be conducted efficiently.”