Shenzhen plans drone delivery across borders

Three routes will be tested to dispatch time-sensitive goods within 30 minutes

Shenzhen, Guangdong province, is drafting a pilot plan for cross-boundary, low-altitude logistics transport based on border crossings, aiming to launch its first route within the year and create a new logistics model with Hong Kong. 

The initiative is part of Shenzhen's broader push to develop the economy in areas surrounding border crossings, a key task outlined in the city's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) to boost domestic demand. Following discussions with national authorities and the Hong Kong government, Shenzhen will prioritize testing three cross-boundary drone delivery routes, according to the Office of Port of Entry and Exit of Shenzhen Municipal People's Government.

The routes are designed to deliver small-batch, time-sensitive cargo within half an hour, Wu Jun, director of the Cooperation and Development Division (Policy and Regulation Division) of the office, told China Daily in a recent exclusive interview.

Wu said the initiative could address long-standing pain points in traditional cross-boundary logistics, including long delivery times, high costs and congestion, while improving the business environment in port areas and supporting high-quality development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

The most promising pilot route would run from Shekou Port in Shenzhen to the River Trade Terminal in Hong Kong's Tuen Mun, mainly for document transport. Wu said he hopes the route can be launched within this year.

The other two proposed routes would link Shenzhen's Wenjindu Port with Hong Kong's Sheung Shui area for e-commerce parcel delivery, and operate within the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone for transporting scientific materials.

Wu added that during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, Shenzhen will open the renovated Huanggang Port, expected within this year, and upgrade Luohu, Shatoujiao and Wenjindu ports.

The city will also conduct preliminary research on establishing a dedicated port in the Hetao cooperation zone and at the planned Qianhai Port of the Hong Kong–Shenzhen Western Rail Link.

For non-land border crossings, authorities will prioritize development of Shenzhen Airport's Terminal 2, cargo facilities and its free trade zone, while expanding opening-up at Shekou Port, Yantian Port and Dachan Bay Port.

Wu said boosting the economy around border crossings will serve as a new engine for Shenzhen's economic growth and a focal point of the city's latest five-year development plan. He outlined a differentiated strategy for land ports, with western ports focusing on modern services and high-end consumption, central ports facilitating the flow of scientific and technological resources, and eastern ports creating new scenarios for cross-boundary consumption.

As Shenzhen's land ports connect with Hong Kong's Northern Metropolis — a major economic and technology development zone undergoing significant transformation — Wu said he expects stronger cooperation in mechanisms and industrial development between the two sides. He also said Shenzhen plans to draw on the experience of the Danube and Rhine rivers in Europe to advance innovative development in border areas along the Shenzhen River.