CHONGQING, March 15 (Xinhua) -- In Jieshi Town, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, a quadcopter with eight propellers descended slowly in front of a courier station. The downwash from its propellers drew crowds of onlookers who watched as the aircraft landed to deliver its cargo.
"A 13-kilometer winding mountain road takes at least 25 minutes by car, assuming you are lucky enough to avoid traffic," said Li Haitao, a drone operator for JD Logistics. "The drone flies straight there in just eight minutes."
Li is one of JD Logistics's ten drone pilots in Chongqing, navigating the city's famously complex terrain to handle a surge in parcels as businesses resumed operations after the Spring Festival holiday.
Order volumes have doubled compared to the pre-holiday period, driven by returning office workers and the efficiency gains drones offer in mountainous landscapes.
JD Logistics has expanded its drone operations to nine provinces, including Jiangsu in east China, northwest China's Qinghai and Hainan in south China, integrating them with local courier stations and rural delivery services.
The company, notably, has launched nearly 50 drone delivery routes across China. In Chongqing alone, 14 routes are active, including single trips as short as three minutes.
Behind this growth lies the rapid rise of the low-altitude economy as a strategic emerging industry. Data shows that China now has over 36,000 active drone-related enterprises. The Civil Aviation Administration of China predicts the country's low-altitude economy could reach 3.5 trillion yuan (about 507 billion U.S. dollars) by 2035.
The value of drone delivery extends beyond hilly regions. In September 2025, China issued its first navigational safety guideline for waterborne low-altitude logistics in the Nanjing section of the Yangtze River in east China.
Operators now fly drones from shore bases to vessels on this river, delivering takeout items such as milk tea and snacks in under five minutes.
In complex urban environments, technology firms have introduced high-precision positioning systems and upgraded satellite navigation to detect obstacles like antennas. At the Great Wall scenic area in north China, drones using visual navigation deliver meals directly to visitors, eliminating the need for long walks to pick up food outside the scenic area.
In Chongqing's Liangjiang New Area, drones operated by Chongqing Feikuai Navigation Technology Co., Ltd. deliver consumer goods, such as coffee, with precision. These drones feature underslung cargo boxes, dedicated landing platforms and remote monitoring systems.
Fang Yuanjunjie, the company's operations manager, noted that each drone can carry up to 10 kg and has a range of around 20 km. The drones achieve Level 4 automation and are equipped with multiple backup power systems and parachutes to ensure a safe landing -- even in the event of power failure.
In November 2025, Chongqing introduced policies to boost low-altitude economic development, with a focus on demonstration projects and industrial innovation. The goal is to establish the city as a leader in this emerging industry.
"Drone delivery overcomes ground transportation limits to achieve precise, efficient service. This relies on breakthroughs in navigation, flight control, smart dispatching and battery technology working together as an integrated system to ensure safety and convenience," Fang said.
Beyond consumer goods, this technology is also moving into critical sectors. Feikuai Navigation is currently partnering with a local hospital to create "aerial life channels" for transporting blood, test samples and emergency medications. ■
