A tourist takes a photo of a delivery drone. [Photo/Shanghai Morning Post]

Meituan, China's leading food delivery service, initiated the trial operation of its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) delivery project in Huangxing Park, Shanghai's Yangpu district, on July 15.

The UAV delivery service enables customers to place orders for items like food, beverages, and other essentials from the Wujiaochang commercial area in the district. These orders are swiftly transported and dropped off at a designated station within Huangxing Park, significantly reducing delivery times to as little as 10 minutes. The initial group of participating merchants includes popular brands such as Starbucks, Chagee, Yang's Dumpling, and other renowned catering establishments.

Planning to expand beyond Huangxing Park, Meituan has extended this cutting-edge service to several municipal parks across Shanghai, as confirmed by the head of Meituan's UAV business strategy team.

The history of Meituan's UAV delivery project in Shanghai traces back to 2022, when the company launched its first regular air delivery route from the East China UAV Base in Jinshan district.

The deployment of Meituan's UAVs in diverse settings not only enhances convenience for residents but also unlocks new business prospects for merchants located around city attractions.

By the end of June 2024, Meituan's UAV service had established 31 air delivery routes in key cities like Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, successfully fulfilling over 300,000 orders. These services cater to a wide array of settings, including offices, residential communities, tourist spots, municipal parks, healthcare facilities, educational campuses, and libraries, thus offering an extensive selection of over 90,000 products.

An official from Yangpu district emphasized the district's commitment to leveraging policy support, fostering technological innovation, and showcasing practical applications that integrate UAV technology with logistics distribution, urban governance, and other sectors. This strategic initiative aims to position the district as a pioneer in the low-altitude economy, elevate the quality of life for citizens, and enhance urban management standards.

Source: Shanghai Morning Post