Visitors ascending the Great Wall of China now have the option of drone-delivered takeout meals.
Meituan, the well-known Chinese food delivery service, recently announced their new drone service. This innovative service will deliver food, drinks, medical supplies, and other goods to customers at a remote part of the Great Wall, located outside Beijing. This marks the capital's first drone service, further expanding the growing drone delivery business in China. As the world's leading producer and exporter of civilian consumer drones, the drone industry has provided convenience to both city-dwellers and those living in remote rural areas.
The drone route for the Great Wall extends from a nearby hotel rooftop to a watchtower on the southern extension of Badaling, the most popular section of the ancient fortifications. Last year's extension, which preserves the worn-out state of the wall, is typically scorching hot during summer and lacks commercial facilities. Given these circumstances, drones can be a helpful solution, according to Yan Yan, a public affairs director for Meituan's drone business.
By using drones, Meituan claims that trips that would take 50 minutes on foot can be completed within five minutes. The drones can carry heat relief items and emergency supplies to visitors, delivering them quickly, as Yan Yan explained to the state broadcaster CCTV. The drones can fly in moderate wind and rain, carrying up to 2.3 kilograms (about 5 pounds) per trip, as reported by Meituan.
The drone delivery fee is the same as regular Meituan deliveries, at just 4 yuan, or 56 cents, as reported by the state-run Beijing Youth Daily. The service will operate from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and after that, the drones will be utilized to transport trash to recycling stations, as per the report.
Despite the drone's capabilities, it still requires human assistance. When an order is received, a Meituan worker will retrieve it from a nearby store and bring it to the hotel rooftop, where it will be weighed and packaged. After that, the drone operator will attach the package and send it flying on autopilot to the watchtower, where another worker will receive it. Finally, the order can be picked up by the customer at the watchtower.
Drone delivery services have experienced significant growth in China in recent years. In 2016, e-commerce giant JD introduced the first drone trial deliveries for rural areas, delivering up to 15 kilograms over a distance of 20 kilometers, significantly reducing delivery times. Now, drones are also commonly used for quick takeout deliveries in Chinese metropolises. When Meituan launched its first drone delivery in Shenzhen in 2021, it quickly expanded to over 30 drone routes in multiple cities, handling over 300,000 orders, including in Shanghai.
To navigate dense urban areas, the drones follow pre-determined routes from launch sites (usually rooftops) to pick-up points. Instead of hovering outside apartment or office windows, they drop off deliveries at kiosks located near residential and office buildings, allowing customers to retrieve their orders easily. Since last year, Meituan has set up drone delivery pickup kiosks in public parks in Shanghai and Shenzhen.
The growing popularity of drone delivery services is due to the government's push to develop the “low-altitude economy,” which refers to various businesses centered around manned and unmanned civil aerial vehicles operating at low altitudes. The “low-altitude economy” was identified as a potential engine for China's economic growth for the first time in the central government's work report in March.
The drone delivery service by Meituan, leveraging technology in the tech industry, is a significant contribution to the growing drone business in China. The tech-driven drone service can carry heat relief items and emergency supplies, providing convenience to visitors at the remote part of the Great Wall.
