Drone delivery fuels logistics in China’s Greater Bay Area

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Smart and efficient drone delivery services are enhancing the logistics industry in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, an important economic zone in southern China, providing added convenience to people’s daily lives. 

Every day, more than 20,000 items are transported by logistics drones at low altitudes across the area, with nearly 100 drones flying every minute on average.

Shenzhen Fengyi Technology Co., Ltd., a Shenzhen-based drone company affiliated with China’s leading delivery company SF Express, has leveraged its intelligent control system to enable real-time tracking and efficient management of drone delivery.

“We’ve deployed more drones to increase the capacity of delivery services along intercity routes,” said Zou Peng, a drone engineer at the company. 

The smart system manages the entire logistics process, from order taking, goods pickup to drone delivery. It uses an advanced algorithm to calculate the best route and timing for each delivery.

During the delivery, the system tracks the drone’s condition in real time and monitors factors such as sea conditions (for cross-sea delivery) and wind speed, making adjustments as needed. 

Besides being powered with technologies like 5G positioning, AI, and big data, logistics drones used in the bay area also need to withstand harsh sea conditions, such as wind and rain, since the cross-sea delivery is more commonly needed there.   

Fengyi Technology’s drones, made from carbon fiber composites and featuring a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) design, are well-suited for operations in this region. They can also travel up to 120 kilometers on a single flight.

“Our drones can withstand winds of force 7 at sea and have completed over 10,000 test flights before entering service,” said Sun Zhenyang, a drone operator at the company.

Currently, major cities within the Greater Bay Area are connected by a logistics network that supports drone deliveries at low altitudes. Customers can receive their takeaways delivered by drones within ten minutes at the fastest speed.

China is the world’s largest producer of drones now, with a complete industry chain covering research and development, manufacturing, and application. Its relevant patent applications account for 70 percent of the global total.

Xizang Autonomous Region has seen significant achievements in boosting health levels of residents due to a combination of funds and medical aid projects dedicated to boosting the region’s healthcare sector, authorities said on Friday.

Liu Kui, director of the National Health Commission’s finance department, said that over the past 30 years, an array of medical assistance programs have been implemented to support Xizang. These initiatives include forming partnerships between Xizang and more developed regions, as well as dispatching medical teams or renowned specialists from major hospitals to the region.

“We have strengthened coordination and planning to form a collective effort in resource allocation. While coordinating with the health systems of 17 provinces and cities to jointly carry out healthcare aid work in Xizang, the National Health Commission has also collaborated with relevant parties. Through methods such as group-based support, partnerships with top-tier hospitals, and sending 10,000 doctors to assist rural areas, various resources are coordinated to collectively promote healthcare aid work in Xizang,” said Liu.

In the past five years, the rate of patients in Xizang being transferred out for treatment has decreased by 12 percentage points.

After 30 years of continuous effort, Xizang has now established a medical and health service system that covers both urban and rural areas, with relatively complete functions and a reasonably planned layout.

The average life expectancy in Xizang has increased by nearly six years over the past decade, and key health indicators such as the mortality rates for pregnant women and infants and toddlers have dropped precipitously.

“According to our statistics, since 2015, over 4,400 new diagnostic and treatment projects and technologies have been introduced to Xizang with the assistance of various regions,” said Liu.