Hong Kong Transport and Logistics Bureau: A New Milestone for Hong Kong's Low-altitude Economy

On the 1st, Chen Meibao, Secretary for Transport and Logistics of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, stated that Hong Kong's low-altitude economy has reached another milestone: the official launch of the first project using a high-load drone with a maximum takeoff weight of approximately 150 kilograms for non-traditional operations. The drone can also increase its payload, creating endless possibilities for use at construction sites. In a blog post on the same day, Chen said that the Special Administrative Region government launched the low-altitude economy "regulatory sandbox" in March last year, and currently, more than 20 projects have entered regular and scaled operations. These include drone applications for building exterior wall cleaning, infrastructure surveys, facility inspections, etc., with the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department issuing notices for small drone applications and providing relevant guidelines. From June 2025 to May 2026, the Civil Aviation Department approved a total of 115 applications for actual operational scenarios. Chen pointed out that in just one year since the launch of the "regulatory sandbox" by the governments "Low Altitude Economy Working Group," the application of small drones has been approved for a total of 12 scenarios under the development bureau, covering areas such as construction site management, emergency response, and asset management, reflecting the best improvement in public services. Chen indicated that the Special Administrative Region government will further expand the advanced version of the regulatory sandbox, "Regulatory Sandbox X," to test five categories of more complex technologies and larger aircraft applications and has already received over 100 applications. The first batch of 33 projects will begin testing in the first half of this year. "This month, Hong Kong will launch more cross-sector collaboration projects. These new initiatives are not only technological experiments but also span practical livelihood applications and cutting-edge technological breakthroughs. Whether enhancing urban efficiency or optimizing citizens' daily life experiences, we will witness remarkable milestones," said Chen Meibao.