China's urban logistics leader, SF Express, has launched a pioneering drone delivery service, featuring the advanced "Fengzhou 90" unmanned aerial vehicle.

Managed by the company's dedicated drone operations team, this innovative service promises seamless and efficient transportation of goods between the high-tech Tangjiawan town in Zhuhai and the bustling Nanshan District at Chiwan in Shenzhen, creating a vital logistical artery that cuts through the heart of urban congestion.

Plans are in place to schedule 8 to 10 flights daily, with each drone flight ingeniously designed to carry up to 20 kilograms of cargo. This newly established route, which has already received approval from airspace management authorities, is a cornerstone of the cross-city drone logistics transfer system within the Greater Bay Area. Notably, these drones will never fly empty, ensuring maximum efficiency.

Preliminary test flights have astonishingly reduced one-way trip times to approximately 40 minutes, halving the time traditionally required by land transport.

Currently, the Zhuhai end of the service operates with a single trial drone. Initially focusing on transporting time-sensitive items such as urgent medical supplies and emergency rescue equipment, there are plans to expand the service to include cross-sea essentials, island specialities, and electrical equipment.

This strategic expansion will simply require modifications to the drone's flight modules and hoisting gear, seamlessly adapting to a diverse range of delivery scenarios. Upon landing, the cargo is swiftly handed over to SF Express branches for immediate dispatch.

Regarding costs, customers can conveniently inquire and place orders through the "Fengyi Drone" and "Fengyi Delivery" mini-programs, operated by SF Express subsidiaries. This service, ideal for "cross-city express" deliveries, guarantees a delivery window of 4 hours within the service area between Shenzhen and Zhuhai.

Besides weight limitations, parcels must fit within the dimensions of 0.6m x 0.4m x 0.3m. Operating from Monday to Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (excluding extreme weather and airspace restrictions), the pricing model is based on a base fare, additional weight, and distance, with a promotional trial price of 40 yuan (£4.41).

[Dateline : Recent]

Storyline:
Drone express delivery services launched in south China's Shenzhen

[Voice_over]

The southern Chinese city of Shenzhen is testing a drone delivery program for urgent and lightweight parcels, adding a new customer application to the city's ever-expanding low altitude economy.

One resident booked the drone service to urgently deliver a document. At less than 2 U.S. dollars, drone delivery rates are considerably cheaper than the norm of about seven U.S. dollars.

Plus, its much faster.

[Sound_bite]

Mr. Yuan, consumer:

"It only costs me about 1.7 U.S. dollars to send a document from Longhua District to another district by drones, while the regular express delivery services could cost me about 7 U.S.dollars. Besides, the drone delivery is faster."

[Voice_over]

The unmanned aerial vehicles or UAVs can carry goods that weigh up to 5 kilograms and are mainly used to deliver fresh food, documents and clothing.

Several drone companies in Shenzhen are also expanding their services to cover deliveries to nearby cities within a four hour time window.

Data from the Civil Aviation Administration of China shows there were nearly 1.3 million registered UAVs in the country by the last year, up more than 32 percent from 2022, with civilian drones clocking in more than 23 million hours, a nearly 12 percent increase year on year.

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