Food arrives by drone in APEC host Shenzhen, as China expands 'low-altitude' economy

By Reuters News03:45 (UTC), 13 November 2026 Updated

By Xihao Jiang and Casey Hall

SHENZHEN, China, Nov 13 (Reuters) - A steady hum fills the air around busy tourist areas in China's southern tech hug of Shenzhen, which is set to host world leaders at next week's APEC summit.

It is the sound of a fleet of drones crisscrossing the sky, delivering takeout food, coffee and bubble tea to tourists who scan QR codes and order to parks and scenic spots.

"It feels quite novel," said Southeast Asian visitor Liew Kee Ho. "Back in Malaysia, I’ve never seen drones used to deliver milk tea or food. "Anything you’ve never tried before always feels novel and exciting for the first time."

China has emerged as one of the world's most advanced markets for commercial drone logistics, supported by a vast manufacturing base, government backing for the so-called low-altitude economy and rapidly spreading delivery networks.

The term refers to airspace up to a height of about 1,000 m (3,300 ft).

Civil aviation authorities said 3.29 million drones had been registered by the end of 2025, with annual drone flight hours rose nearly 70%, to 45.3 million.

In a level of commercial deployment rare in most countries, operators such as Meituan 3690.HK have set up regular routes for hundreds of thousands of drops in cities such as the capital Beijing, the commercial hub of Shanghai, Shenzhen and even the Great Wall.

"I think, in places like parks, it is quite necessary (to have drone delivery)," said another tourist, Qin Pei, as it was hard for food delivery drivers to track down patrons in such areas.

"This set-up is also particularly well-suited for the kind of extreme heat we see in China," added the 40-year-old. "So it makes much more sense to use machines."

But in Shenzhen, at least, the summit will briefly banish such convenience.

Meituan has said it suspended drone deliveries there for 10 days from November 11, at the request of regulators, and it has not set a resumption date. Routes in other cities are unaffected.