(ECNS) -- A low-altitude drone logistics trial has been launched at Xuwen Port in south China's Guangdong Province, significantly shortening cross-strait delivery time between the povince and Hainan Island to about 20 minutes, CCTV News reported.
The Qiongzhou Strait is a key transport corridor for the Hainan Free Trade Port, handling over 90 percent of the island's daily supplies.
With Hainan's island-wide special customs operations in effect, and the anticipated surge in trade and high-value goods, the traditional sea transport is facing increasing pressure.
Low-altitude logistics, however, will help diversify transport options, ease congestion in maritime shipping, and support the growing logistics needs of the Hainan Free Trade Port, local authorities say.
During the trial, logistics drones carrying medical supplies completed cross-strait deliveries far faster than conventional shipping, which typically takes around five hours. The drone route has now entered regular operation, with each flight able to carry up to 20 kilograms over a distance of 70 kilometers, marking a shift from hour-based to minute-based logistics efficiency.
Heavier-load drones with a payload capacity of up to 300 kilograms are also undergoing test flights, while companies are accelerating trials of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for potential passenger transport across the strait.
(By Evelyn)
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