SF Pioneers New Landscape for Hong Kong’s Low-Altitude Logistics First Cross-Sea Cargo Flight Test

2025.9.15

  • (Hong Kong, 15 September 2025) S.F. Express (Hong Kong) Limited (“SFHK”) and Cyberport announced today the official launch of SFHK’s first drone route from Cyberport. Conducted under the government’s Low-altitude Economy “Regulatory Sandbox” framework, this initiative pioneers Hong Kong’s first cross-sea cargo flight to outlying islands, involving a series of flight and cargo transport tests. With guidance from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government’s Working Group on Developing Low-altitude Economy and the provision of takeoff/landing sites by Cyberport, the new route primarily focuses on medical supply delivery scenarios, testing logistics distribution for outlying islands. SFHK’s drones conducting Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) low-altitude logistics flights over cross-sea routes mark another milestone in the SF’s drone development, opening new possibilities for Hong Kong’s low-altitude logistics landscape. 

     

    Piloting Community Services in Outlying Islands: SF’s First Hong Kong Drone Route Officially Launches

     

    In support of the government’s low-altitude economy development, SFHK, in collaboration with Phoenix Wings Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (“Phoenix Wings”), a subsidiary of the SF Group, successfully applied to become one of the first pilot projects under the government’s Low-altitude Economy “Regulatory Sandbox.” Phoenix Wings is the first company in mainland China to obtain the national “Civil Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Operation Certificate” from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). Over the past decade, it has accumulated over 7 million kilometers of flight mileage, completed over 1.3 million flights, and transported more than 9.6 million parcels. Leveraging its strong foundation in multiple cities across the country, SF’s drone project in Hong Kong is supported by Phoenix Wings’ expertise and fully operated by SFHK, providing a safe and controlled testing environment for logistics distribution, public services, and research applications under the “Regulatory Sandbox” project. Mr. Feng Li, Chairman and CEO of Phoenix Wings Technology, stated: “To date, SF has successfully completed over 40 BVLOS trial flights, including some cargo flights. The drones have demonstrated stable flight performance, smooth communication signals, and safe and mature operational practices, meeting safety expectations and successfully completing flights under compliant wind conditions.”

     

    Recently, SFHK was honored to invite Ms. Mable Chan, Secretary for Transport and Logistics, to Cheung Chau to observe the drone medicine delivery process firsthand, receive updates on the trial flights, and exchange insights on future drone operations. For this trial flight, SFHK collaborated with Cyberport and the Hospital Authority’s St. John Hospital. After a series of pre-flight checks, following Ms. Mable Chan’s announcement to commence the flight, Phoenix Wings’ “Ark 20” logistics drone took off from Cyberport’s drone takeoff/landing site, completing a 12-kilometer cross-sea flight. In just 18 minutes, the drone delivered medicines to the landing site near St. John Hospital, where the drone operator retrieved the medicines from the insulated box and handed them to a representative doctor from St. John Hospital. This trial flight, focused on emergency medical delivery, utilized logistics drones to transport goods, improving efficiency by over 60% and addressing the medical logistics needs of outlying island residents with innovative drone technology. 

     

    Howard Cheng, Chief Operating Officer of Cyberport, stated: "We are thrilled to witness SF Express Hong Kong successfully complete the beyond-line-of-sight flying delivery of medical supplies to Cheung Chau by utilising drone - Ark 20, laying the foundation for future pilot routes to other outlying islands. As a venue partner for the HKSAR Government's Low-altitude Economy Regulatory Sandbox, Cyberport continuously enhances the equipment and infrastructure of the vertiports and actively seeks collaboration with various industry organisations and start-ups to create a more vibrant low-altitude economy ecosystem. Cyberport will work closely with the Government to explore low-altitude flying application scenarios. With the completion of Cyberport 5, we aim to promote through practical applications smart transportation and logistics, cultural tourism and more strategic emerging industries through practical applications, unleashing new quality productive forces in the low-altitude economy and creating values for digital economy in Hong Kong, while optimising smart living of citizens to improve their quality of life."


    Cyberport Refines Support for Regulatory Sandbox Pilot Project, Fully Committed to Building a Low-Altitude Economy Ecosystem

     

    Cyberport has been appointed by the Hong Kong Government as a venue partner for the Low-altitude Economy Regulatory Sandbox pilot project, responsible for providing suitable locations like Vertiports and supporting facilities for various pilot projects that have already begun. The vertiport is close to a large outdoor space and equipped with charging facilities, an anemometer for measuring both wind direction and wind speed, and other auxiliary equipment, minimizing interference and ensuring quality signal reception. This site can accommodate multiple drones for simultaneous operation and piloting, and it also supports maritime pilot projects to outlying islands.

     

    The Hong Kong Observatory will install a new meteorological observing system at Cyberport’s venues for pilot projects to provide real-time weather data, enhancing the safety and accuracy of drone operations. Cyberport is also collaborating with telecom operators to strengthen drone signal transmission and reception, improving the quality and precision of drone operations.

     

    Cyberport is equipped with advanced information technology and communication facilities, including an Artificial Intelligence Supercomputing Centre (AISC) that was launched last year, providing efficient computing power for pilot projects to apply spatial data and accelerate AI technology development and smart upgrades. The data processing facilities in Cyberport can further facilitate the potential drone operation infrastructure. Moreover, Cyberport's diverse terrains and densities offer versatile scenarios for testing drones across various business applications. These include scenic waterfront parks, sloping landscapes, modern office buildings, the area around the major shopping mall, vibrant platform gardens, and construction sites. The diverse advantages of Cyberport robustly facilitate a broad spectrum of low-altitude drone pilot projects.

     

    Leveraging Mature Operational Experience in Mainland China to Build a Three-Phase Low-Altitude Logistics Network

     

    Fengyi began developing cargo logistics drones in 2015 and obtained the nation’s first drone aviation operation (pilot) license from the CAAC in 2018, setting industry standards and establishing its first rural logistics validation site in Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province. By 2020, it expanded to urban applications, launching regular “cross-sea, cross-region” operations in Wuhan, Shenzhen, and Zhuhai, with average daily deliveries exceeding 20,000 parcels. Mr. Huang Sihai, Chief Operating Officer of S.F. Express, stated: “The government’s earlier amendment to the ‘Small Unmanned Aircraft Order,’ introducing Category C drones weighing between 25 kg and 150 kg, has created further opportunities for Hong Kong’s low-altitude economy. With SF’s regular operations in various mainland cities, we will fully leverage our decade of drone logistics experience to build a three-phase low-altitude logistics network covering ‘Outlying Islands – Northern Metropolis – Greater Bay Area’ and utilize drones to explore markets along the Belt and Road, promoting logistics support and economic development along the route. We also look forward to continuing to drive logistics distribution development through technological innovation, injecting new momentum into Hong Kong’s economy and achieving long-term, sustainable economic benefits.” 

     

    As this reporting flight concludes, SF will continue comprehensive testing, including flight stability, cargo capacity (including cold chain transport), communications, weather impact and response, emergency handling procedures, and coordination mechanisms. Leveraging SF’s technical expertise and experience from the mainland China, SF hopes the test results will provide reference and support for future formal drone operations in Hong Kong, promoting Hong Kong as a hub city for the low-altitude economy in the Greater Bay Area, achieving high-efficiency economic growth, and injecting new momentum into future economic development. 

     

    For a video of SF’s trial flight for medical supply delivery to outlying islands, please visit the news.gov.hk: https://www.news.gov.hk/eng/news_video/index.html

     

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    Photo 1-2：

    Recently, SFHK was honored to invite Ms. Mable Chan, Secretary for Transport and Logistics, to Cheung Chau to observe the drone medicine delivery process firsthand, receive updates on the trial flights, and exchange insights on future drone operations.

    Mr. Huang Sihai (the 6th person from the left in photo 1), Chief Operating Officer of S.F. Express, stated: “With SF’s regular operations in various mainland cities, we will fully leverage our decade of drone logistics experience to build a three-phase low-altitude logistics network covering ‘Outlying Islands – Northern Metropolis – Greater Bay Area’ and utilize drones to explore markets along the Belt and Road, promoting logistics support and economic development along the route.”  

     

    Photo 3：

    Ms. Mable Chan (the 3rd from the right), Secretary for Transport and Logistics, Mr. Huang Sihai (the 3th from the left), Chief Operating Officer of S.F. Express, Mr. Steve Shum (the 2nd from the left), Head of Hong Kong & Macau Region at S.F. Express, Mr. Feng Li (the 2nd from the right), Chairman and CEO of Phoenix Wings Technology, attended this Drone Trial Flight for Medical Supplies Delivery in Outlying Islands.

     

    Photo 4-5：

    With guidance from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government’s Working Group on Developing Low-altitude Economy and the provision of takeoff/landing sites by Cyberport, the new route primarily focuses on medical supply delivery scenarios, testing logistics distribution for outlying islands.