SFHK Fully Supports Promoting Low-Altitude Economy, Leverages Mainland Drone Expertise to Realize New Smart Logistics Model

• (Hong Kong, 17 April 2025) As one of Hong Kong’s first pilot enterprises in the Low-altitude Economy Regulatory Sandbox, S.F. Express (Hong Kong) Limited (“SFHK”) announced today that it will collaborate with Phonix Wings (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (“Phonix Wings”), a subsidiary of the SF Express (Group), to build a three-phase low-altitude logistics network covering “Outlying Islands – Northern Metropolis – Greater Bay Area,” aiming to enhance Hong Kong’s smart logistics efficiency. With national policy support and a decade of experience in mainland drone logistics operations, SF plans to launch its first-phase trial with a focus on emergency medical deliveries, achieving 24-minute ultra-fast dispatch from outlying islands to urban areas. This initiative aligns with the government’s push for an efficient and innovative low-altitude economy, injecting new momentum into future economic development.

   

  Aligning with National Low-altitude Economy Policies, Laying the Foundation for Drone Logistics

  
  Phonix Wings began developing cargo drones in 2015 and obtained the nation’s first pilot license for drone aviation operations from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) in 2018, setting industry standards and establishing its inaugural rural logistics validation site in Ganzhou. By 2020, it expanded to urban applications, launching regular “cross-sea, cross-region” operations in Wuhan, Shenzhen, and Zhuhai, with peak daily deliveries exceeding 20,000 parcels. In 2024, Phonix Wings obtained the nation’s first “Civil Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Operation Certificate” from the CAAC, becoming the first company qualified for medical cold chain and emergency rescue scenarios. Mr. Chen Xiaohui, Director of Government Affairs at Phonix Wings, stated: “From rural to urban areas, pilot projects to regular operations, every step of Phonix Wings’s drone applications relies on the CAAC’s innovative regulatory support.”

   

  To date, Phonix Wings’s logistics drones have accumulated 6.27 million kilometers of flight mileage, completed over 1.19 million flights, and transported 7.52 million parcels. Its self-developed fleet includes more than ten models, such as: ARK 20, with high agility, low power consumption and ideal for emergency deliveries, ARK 40, the nation’s first medium-sized multi-rotor logistics drone certified for safety, PW.Orca, designed for global regulatory compliance and market demands. ARK 150, Capable of carrying 50kg payloads, and Fengzhou 90, with a 10kg payload and 120km range. All drones feature robust safety systems, including redundant designs and fail-safe flight strategies.

   

  SF has combined the mature infrastructure of traditional courier services with the efficient delivery capabilities of drones, gradually developing a scalable commercial operation model in mainland China over the past decade. This includes diverse applications such as smart healthcare, fresh food cold chain, emergency response, and environmental monitoring, laying a solid foundation for low-altitude logistics operations in Hong Kong. These innovations will help enhance logistics efficiency, promote economic development, and improve the quality of life for residents.

   

  Mature Technology Lands in Hong Kong: “Air-Ground Coordination” Pioneers Smart Logistics
  With strong government support, Phonix Wings’s Low-altitude Smart Logistics Operations Center in Shenzhen’s Bao’an District officially launched in 2025 as the nation’s first air-ground integrated logistics hub. Combining drones, unmanned vehicles, smart lockers, and AI scheduling, it enables efficient urban and cross-city logistics in the Greater Bay Area. Drones transport parcels between hubs, while unmanned vehicles handle last-mile delivery. The center also deploys drone-enabled lockers, allowing customers to send and receive drone-delivered parcels via mobile app, achieving zero-distance air-ground synergy. In Shenzhen, this system has cut intra-city delivery times to 2 hours and cross-city times to 3 hours, halving traditional timelines.

   

  Mr. Kenny Lau, Chief Technology Officer at SFHK, explained: “Replicating this model in Hong Kong could reduce outlying islands’ logistics costs by over 40%. Drone delivery breaks geographical barriers and meets urgent needs, but limited payloads require cost-efficient automation. For example, using Cheung Chau Pier as a drone landing hub with unmanned vehicle transfers would slash labor and operational costs.”

   

  Leveraging Mainland Medical Transport Expertise, Piloting Convenience Services in Outlying Islands

  
  Since 2023, Shenzhen has gradually opened airspace through policy innovation, designating drone corridors in Bao’an and Nanshan districts. Phonix Wings now operates 400+ routes in Shenzhen, averaging 1,000 daily flights and 20,000 deliveries, including critical partnerships like the Bao’an Central Blood Station. Since 2023, Phonix Wings has provided emergency blood delivery routes for 8 hospitals.

   

  Mr. Chen Xiaohui, Director of Government Affairs at Phonix Wings highlighted: “When hospitals urgently need blood, drones transport it in temperature-controlled boxes. For example, deliveries from Bao’an Central Blood Station to Shenzhen Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital in Shajing now take 30 minutes instead of 2 hours by ambulance, saving critical time for patients.” Phonix Wings also partnered with Luohu Hospital Group in 2021 to transport medical samples (blood tests, nucleic acids, urine tests) and supplies contact-free.

   

   To support the government's efforts to develop the low-altitude economy, SF Express actively responded to the "Regulatory Sandbox" pilot project by applying for three trial routes: "Cyberport — Cheung Chau Hospital," "Cyberport — Lamma Island," and "Cheung Chau Hospital — Lamma Island." These routes will be used to deliver medications and other items to remote islands using the Fangzhou 20 drone.

   

  Ms. Charlize Liu, Head of Public Affairs and Communications at SFHK, stated:"In the first phase of the trial flight program, SF Express plans to focus on medical emergency deliveries, effectively addressing the current logistical needs of residents in remote areas, thereby improving the quality of life. For example, the route between Cyberport and Cheung Chau Hospital currently relies on ferries that run every 30 minutes, with each journey taking 68 minutes. Using logistics drones, the delivery time can be reduced to just 24 minutes, achieving an efficiency improvement of over 60%. Additionally, logistics drones can operate 24/7 without being affected by traffic congestion. Besides delivering medications and medical supplies, they are also suitable for daily necessities and even meal deliveries, all of which can be realized by SF's logistics drones."

   

  Building a Three-phase Low-altitude Network: From Outlying Islands to Cross-border Trade

  
  SFHK plans to establish 10 takeoff/landing points citywide, starting with its Tsing Yi headquarters. After piloting medical deliveries to outlying islands, it will expand to the Northern Metropolis and eventually create a cross-border Greater Bay Area network, connecting Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Zhongshan (north), Zhuhai, Macau (south), and Huizhou (east), positioning Hong Kong as a low-altitude economy hub.

   

  Ms. Charlize Liu, Head of Public Affairs and Communications at SFHK, stated: “As Greater Bay Area integration deepens, cross-border logistics will strengthen trade links and industrial innovation. We’ll start with lightweight commercial documents requiring simple customs clearance, then expand to e-commerce, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing, fostering efficient supply chains for sustainable economic growth.”

   

  The Low-altitude Economy Regulatory Sandbox is not just a tech incubator but a critical step toward smarter cities, efficient logistics, enhanced emergency response, and regional synergy. SF will leverage mainland expertise and government support to advance drone logistics, improve livelihoods, and solidify Hong Kong’s role as a Greater Bay Area low-altitude hub, driving high-impact economic growth.

   

   

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  Photo Caption

  Photo 1 to 3:

  SFHK announced today that it will collaborate with Phonix Wings a subsidiary of the SF Express (Group), to build a three-phase low-altitude logistics network covering “Outlying Islands – Northern Metropolis – Greater Bay Area,” aiming to enhance Hong Kong’s smart logistics efficiency. 

  [(Left)Mr. Chen Xiaohui, Director of Government Affairs at Phonix Wings, (Middle)Mr. Kenny Lau, Chief Technology Officer at SFHK, (Right)Ms. Charlize Liu, Head of Public Affairs and Communications at SFHK]

  

  

  

   

  Photo 4-5:

  In 2024, Phonix Wings obtained the nation’s first “Civil Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Operation Certificate” from the CAAC, becoming the first company qualified for medical cold chain and emergency rescue scenarios. Mr. Chen Xiaohui, Director of Government Affairs at Phonix Wings, stated: “From rural to urban areas, pilot projects to regular operations, every step of Phonix Wings’s drone applications relies on the CAAC’s innovative regulatory support.”

  

  

   

  Photo 6-8:
  Mr. Kenny Lau, Chief Technology Officer at SFHK, explained: “Replicating this model in Hong Kong could reduce outlying islands’ logistics costs by over 40%. Drone delivery breaks geographical barriers and meets urgent needs, but limited payloads require cost-efficient automation. For example, using Cheung Chau Pier as a drone landing hub with unmanned vehicle transfers would slash labor and operational costs.”

  

  

  

   

  Photo 9-12:

  Ms. Charlize Liu, Head of Public Affairs and Communications at SFHK, stated:"In the first phase of the trial flight program, SF Express plans to focus on medical emergency deliveries, effectively addressing the current logistical needs of residents in remote areas, thereby improving the quality of life. For example, the route between Cyberport and Cheung Chau Hospital currently relies on ferries that run every 30 minutes, with each journey taking 68 minutes. Using logistics drones, the delivery time can be reduced to just 24 minutes, achieving an efficiency improvement of over 60%. Additionally, logistics drones can operate 24/7 without being affected by traffic congestion. Besides delivering medications and medical supplies, they are also suitable for daily necessities and even meal deliveries, all of which can be realized by SF's logistics drones."