In a groundbreaking test on July 26, Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport successfully completed a low-altitude flight trial, exploring the integration of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into busy civil aviation airspace. This marks a significant step forward in revolutionizing baggage delivery and logistics transportation in the region.
The test simulated an urgent baggage delivery scenario requiring luggage to be transported from Shenzhen Airport to the city of Zhongshan across the Pearl River Delta. Upon the arrival of a civil aviation flight, the baggage was swiftly transferred to a nearby drone take-off point within the airport’s controlled airspace. A logistics drone then completed the 50-kilometer journey to an airport hub in Zhongshan in just 25 minutes.
The controlled airspace where the drone took off is primarily reserved for civil aviation passenger and cargo flights. The successful operation within this space validated the feasibility of integrating drone operations into regulated airspace, providing valuable insights for future routine integrated flights, according to an official from Shenzhen Airport Group.
Chen Xiaohui, director of government affairs at Phoenix Wings—the company operating the drone—highlighted the test flight’s significance for the development of low-altitude logistics. “By effectively connecting high-altitude civil aviation cargo flights with low-altitude end-point logistics drones, we can greatly enhance the efficiency of logistics transportation,” Chen stated.
The test results were announced by Shenzhen Airport Group at the High-Quality Development Conference of the Low-Altitude Economy, which commenced on Friday in Shenzhen, a major metropolis in southern China. The conference focuses on advancing the low-altitude economy, with the successful test flight serving as a prime example of innovation in this sector.
This pioneering effort underscores the potential of UAVs in transforming logistics and could pave the way for more widespread adoption of drone technology in airport operations across the region and beyond.
Reference(s):
Low-altitude flight boosts baggage delivery in Shenzhen airport area
cgtn.com