【News Buddy】無人機科學園起飛 5分鐘「美食天降」

【原文】摘錄自6月7日香港《文匯報》：深圳的無人機送餐令不少港人及外國遊客感到新鮮，隨着香港低空經濟應用逐步落地，在香港用無人機送餐今日也成真。美團旗下Keeta Drone宣布，在香港低空經濟監管沙盒框架下，公司首條常規航線正式投入營運。新航線設在「跨海+公園」場景，無人機將由科學園起飛，並降落在馬鞍山海濱長廊，目前已接入服務的本港商戶包括麥當勞及必勝客。其中必勝客宣布率先試行無人機配送服務，推出獨家飛行套餐，提供科學園至馬鞍山公園海濱長廊的配送服務，約5分鐘便送到起降點。

美團副總裁兼無人機業務負責人出席啟動儀式時表示，Keeta Drone於去年11月香港低空經濟監管沙盒發布後，第一時間提交申請，並針對無人機配送的安全能力、調度能力、私隱保護、通訊能力等提交了詳細的運行方案、測試報告和第三方檢驗證明，最終獲選納入第一批沙盒項目。

在沙盒試行期間，公司全力配合監管方要求持續開展安全、私隱、訊號等測試，確保服務顧及安全、操作和技術等相關要求。

首條航線選擇「跨海+公園」場景，負責人指，公司認為這是香港的典型場景。香港有很多山地、海洋等複雜地形，同時也存在許多自然景區、封閉園區等路面配送困難的場景。類似複雜場景下，無人機不受地形阻礙等優勢將非常明顯，可以解決過往很多配送不便的需求。

負責人認為，無人機配送在香港有望成為現有步行、騎單車等多種配送方式的重要補充方式，能承接更多因時間或地理空間限制而難以完成的訂單。以首條航線為例，從起飛點附近商家至降落點的路面距離約7.8公里，而無人機飛行距離為1.8公里，將原本30分鐘的陸路配送時間縮短至5分鐘的跨海飛行，為配送方案提供更多可能性。

談及後續發展，負責人表示，Keeta Drone會以香港科學園為起點，逐步開通至馬鞍山居民小區等M-port（自動空投櫃）航線，推動更多應用場景落地，不斷拓展服務範圍，提升服務質量，為香港市民帶來更加便捷的無人機配送服務。

特區政府財政司副司長兼發展低空經濟工作組組長黃偉綸在出席Keeta Drone航線啟動儀式時表示，這是香港第一個無人機商業配送項目，亦是科技的突破，包括精準定位及導航等技術，也要克服水體距離、風速等挑戰。他認為，一個商業項目應由市場主導，政府未來會努力拆牆鬆綁，盡快完成修訂相關附屬法例，讓民航處有相應權力審批例如eVTOL（電動垂直起降飛行器）進行試飛，並於明年上半年進行下一階段「監管沙盒」試點項目計劃。

黃偉綸同時預告，投資推廣署將於本月27日舉辦一個有關推動低空經濟發展的論壇，邀請業界、學者、投資者等參加。

他強調，政府盼望能與各界攜手，推動低空經濟在各方面的發展，包括如何更好地滿足企業集資的需要，充分發揮香港作為領先國際金融中心的優勢。

Drone Food Delivery Takes Off at Science Park

【譯文】Food delivery by drone in Shenzhen is still a novelty for many Hong Kong residents and international tourists. With Hong Kong gradually rolling out low-altitude economy initiatives, drone food delivery has now become a reality in the city. Keeta Drone, a subsidiary of Meituan, announced that its first regular flight route is now officially in operation under Hong Kong's low-altitude economy regulatory sandbox. The route follows a "cross-harbour + park" model, with drones taking off from the Science Park and landing at the Ma On Shan waterfront promenade. Several Hong Kong businesses have already joined the service, including McDonald's and Pizza Hut. Pizza Hut was the first to adopt the technology, launching an exclusive flight package that delivers food from the Science Park to the Ma On Shan promenade in approximately five minutes.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, the Vice President and Head of Drone Business at Meituan said that Keeta Drone was among the first to apply for inclusion in Hong Kong's Low Altitude Economy regulatory sandbox following its rollout in November last year. The company submitted comprehensive operational plans, test reports, and third-party certifications covering safety, scheduling, privacy, and communication capabilities. These efforts led to Keeta being selected as part of the sandbox's first batch of approved projects. Throughout the trial period, the company has strictly adhered to regulatory requirements—conducting ongoing tests to ensure its drone delivery service meets the necessary safety, privacy, and technical standards.

The first route was designed as a "cross-harbour + park" scenario, which the project leader described as a typical use case for Hong Kong. Given the city's complex terrain—ranging from mountains and coastlines to remote natural areas and enclosed parks where road access is limited—traditional delivery methods often face logistical challenges. In such environments, the terrain-free advantage of drones becomes particularly clear, offering an effective solution to delivery difficulties that were previously hard to overcome.

He believes that drone delivery has the potential to become a valuable complement to existing methods such as walking and cycling. It can help handle orders that are otherwise difficult to fulfil due to time constraints or geographical challenges. For example, on the first operational route, the road distance from the business near the take-off point to the landing site is approximately 7.8 kilometres. In contrast, the drone covers the same journey in just 1.8 kilometres by air, cutting delivery time from around 30 minutes by land to just 5 minutes by air—opening up new possibilities for more efficient delivery solutions.

Discussing future developments, he said that Keeta Drone plans to use Hong Kong Science Park as its starting hub and gradually expand its M-port (automated drop-off container) routes to residential areas such as Ma On Shan. The company aims to introduce more real-life application scenarios, continuously broaden its service coverage, and enhance service quality—ultimately providing Hong Kong residents with a more convenient and efficient drone delivery experience.

At the launch ceremony of the Keeta Drone route, Michael Wong Wai Lun, Deputy Financial Secretary of the HKSAR Government and Head of the Working Group on Low Altitude Economy, remarked that this marks Hong Kong's first commercial drone delivery project and represents a significant technological milestone. The project incorporates advanced technologies such as precision positioning and navigation while also addressing environmental challenges like water crossings and wind conditions. He emphasised that commercial ventures should be market-driven and noted that the Government will work proactively to eliminate regulatory barriers. This includes expediting amendments to relevant subsidiary legislation, which will empower the Civil Aviation Department to approve test flights for emerging technologies such as eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft). Wong added that the next phase of the "Regulatory Sandbox" pilot programme is expected to roll out in the first half of next year.

Wong also announced that Invest Hong Kong will host a forum on the development of the low-altitude economy on the 27th of this month, bringing together industry leaders, academics, and investors. He emphasised the Government's commitment to collaborating with all sectors to advance the low-altitude economy on multiple fronts—particularly in supporting enterprises with capital-raising needs and leveraging Hong Kong's strengths as a premier international financial hub.

●琬琰