Beijing launches drone delivery service on the Great Wall

BEIJING -- Beijing has launched its first unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) logistics delivery route in the Badaling section of the Great Wall, which enables tourists to receive summer relief items and emergency supplies within minutes, said the Badaling scenic area on Friday.

The south ninth watchtower on the extended line of the Badaling Great Wall serves as the delivery point for the new route. The area, which opened to the public at the end of 2023, mainly hosts activities such as outdoor hiking, adventure crossings, Great Wall studies and travel photography. The lack of commercial facilities at the area makes it difficult for visitors to replenish supplies such as drinking water.

To address the delivery of supplies, the Badaling Great Wall scenic area partnered with a delivery platform to launch the UAV delivery route. Once at the delivery spot, tourists may scan a QR code with their mobile phones to place orders on a food delivery platform, and the supplies will be delivered by drones within five minutes. A single trip to the spot usually takes 50 minutes on foot.

On the return trip, the drone may also transport the waste generated, significantly reducing the labor costs for the Great Wall's maintenance staff, according to the delivery platform participating in the UAV service.

Among the most popular sections of the Great Wall, the Badaling scenic area was first opened to tourists in 1958, and has since received more than 200 million visitors from home and abroad.

The Great Wall has a total length of over 20,000 km and consists of many interconnected walls, spanning 15 provincial-level regions including Beijing, Hebei and Inner Mongolia in the north, and Gansu and Xinjiang in the northwest.

In recent years, Beijing has been continuously expanding new scenarios for the application of the low-altitude economy. In addition to such drone delivery services, tourists can also take a trial class in pilot training, or enjoy the majestic view of the Great Wall from a helicopter or a fixed-wing aircraft.