The Hong Kong government is actively promoting the development of the low-altitude economy, with the first batch of "regulatory sandbox" pilot projects officially announced, totaling 38 selected projects.
The Transport and Logistics Bureau stated that the second phase will expand to areas surrounding parks and may even trial manned flights. Due to efficiency considerations, most pilot projects will be in the New Territories, such as the Northern Metropolis and Islands District, with fewer in urban areas.
In response to concerns about the safety and privacy impacts of drones, Transport and Logistics Secretary Mable Chan mentioned that there will be legislative proposals this season covering privacy protection and relaxed weight limits for drones.
Chan stated today (March 23) on a TV program that urban areas are densely populated with high-rise buildings, making it challenging to find suitable take-off and landing points. The current test sites include specific parks where appropriate times for trial flights can be selected, and drones may even fly over some buildings, with designated landing and take-off spots. However, in urban areas, considerations must include public transport services and logistics efficiency. The goal is to create economic value through the low-altitude economy, enabling more practical trials while considering cost-effectiveness.
When asked about the efficiency of implementing drone logistics in urban areas, she noted that in Hong Kong, aside from the core areas of Hong Kong and Kowloon, there are also many remote areas in the New Territories and outlying islands where residents live. Currently, transporting goods, mail, medications, and samples may require multiple transport modes, resulting in lower efficiency. Therefore, future trials will focus on routes from parks to outlying islands, including Ma Wan, Discovery Bay, and Cheung Chau, establishing specific airways and supporting facilities to provide valuable experience to authorities. If suitable areas are found, ensuring that flight paths do not interfere with existing civil aviation take-off and landing points while considering road traffic will be actively researched. If the scope is to be expanded, it will likely be in the Northern Metropolis, coordinating with the Development Bureau on land planning to reserve necessary infrastructure.
She also mentioned that the low-altitude economy must consider suitable areas and routes, considering current road or sea levels that aren't very high. Higher altitudes may intersect with civil aviation routes, as the current flying range of the government's flight service team covers Victoria Harbour, which is also used for rescue services. Thus, there will be a focus on distinguishing different airspaces while maintaining a balance between safety and practicality to find suitable locations. Chan revealed that one project will be tested at the Cruise Terminal, combining research efforts, where one drone will monitor another during test flights to collect data for future system design.
She noted that there are currently no manned projects in the first phase. The proposed amendments include two parts: raising the weight limit from 25 kg to 150 kg to allow advanced drones to fly, with hopes of enabling manned flights in the future. At the same time, another subsidiary regulation will be modified to include a special clause allowing manned drones to conduct test flights for experimental purposes, prioritizing safety, which means manned flights may not be implemented immediately.
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