Meituan's drone delivery has fully rolled out across Shenzhen.
Key Numbers
- Daily average deliveries: 5,000+ orders
- Average delivery time: 12 minutes (compared to 30 minutes for delivery riders)
- Coverage: All of Shenzhen (expanded from the Nanshan pilot program to the entire city)
- Main delivery items: coffee, fast food, medicine
How It Works
Drones take off from designated launch pads at shopping malls or restaurants and fly to designated landing points in residential communities. After users place orders on the app, the system automatically plans flight routes, avoiding no-fly zones and buildings.
The landing point is a compact "airport box" where users scan a QR code to pick up their orders.
Why Shenzhen
Shenzhen has a strong drone industry foundation (DJI's headquarters is here) and relatively open policies. As early as 2023, Shenzhen released its low-altitude economy industry plan.
Challenges
Drone delivery scenarios are still limited — drones can't fly in heavy rain, high-rise residents need to go downstairs to pick up orders, and battery life restricts delivery radius. It's unlikely to replace delivery riders in the short term, but it's indeed highly efficient in specific scenarios (such as industrial parks and university towns).
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