Hong Kong's transport chief Mable Chan said more than 100 submissions for drone projects in the low-altitude economy have been received, with some pilot projects set to launch in the first half of this year. The move aligns with Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu's 2024 policy address establishing a government working group to foster low-altitude flying activities.
In a blog post on the Transport and Logistics Bureau’s website on Saturday, transport chief Mable Chan said “the industry responded enthusiastically” to the government’s calls, with more than 100 submissions received by the end of last month, when applications closed. The low-altitude economy is an emerging sector focused on activities such as drone use in airspace below 1km (3,280 feet). “The [government] working group is reviewing the applications in detail, with the goal of launching pilot projects progressively in the first half of this year,” Chan said. In line with the nation’s development of a low-altitude economy, Hong Kong leader John Lee Ka-chiu announced in his policy address in 2024 that a government working group would be set up to foster and facilitate the testing of potential application scenarios for low-altitude flying activities. Promoting “regulatory sandbox” pilot projects was among its major tasks. Keywords listed in the sources include Cyberport, Hong Kong International Aviation Academy, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, St John Hospital, Hong Kong Productivity Council, Pok Fu Lam, Civil Aviation Department, Transport and Logistics Bureau, and Vocational Training Council, which may be involved, though the article does not detail specific submissions.
