Hong Kong’s largest non-franchise bus group hopes its pioneering order for 30 passenger drones costing more than HK$70 million (RM39.67 million or US$9 million) can offer luxury tours to the – above the city’s rooftops in three years, calling on the government to accelerate regulatory work to create the low-lying economy.

In an interview with the JobRex Wong Yat-hung, general manager of Kwoon Chung Smart Mobility, a subsidiary of Kwoon Chung Bus Holdings, said the company aims to offer tours lasting around 30 minutes via the unmanned aircraft around Hong Kong in areas such as Disneyland, Ocean Park, Cyberport, Lantau Island and Sai Kung.

“Our fleet of unmanned aircraft will soon be able to take to the skies to facilitate the government’s attempt to develop a so-called low-flying economy, and we hope to offer leisure trips for passengers to get a taste of flying around the city ” he said.

“We are still in talks with the government about its operations in Hong Kong, and it all depends on when it will introduce a regulatory framework. We hope that relevant legislation will be adopted soon and that we will be able to roll out this service in three years.

Wong also revealed that the Peninsula Hong Kong Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui, which has a helipad on its roof offering guests an 18-minute helicopter ride around the southern part of the city, was interested in introducing the company’s passenger drones.

“The peninsula wants to use these unmanned electric drones because they are much quieter than helicopters,” he said.

Wong’s company announced in July that it would buy 30 passenger drones from manufacturer EHang Intelligent for HK$2.57 million (RM1.45 million) each.

The company said it hoped to take advantage of business opportunities with low-lying economic sectors through this purchase.

“This would give the group the advantage of being the first to introduce (passenger drones) in case their operation is legalized in Hong Kong,” he said.

Under the Small Unmanned Aircraft Decree introduced in 2022, drones weighing 25 kg (55 lb) or less are subject to regulatory requirements, including registration, labeling, equipment and operation .

However, there are no regulations for unmanned aircraft weighing more than 25 kg in the city.

Wong said the passenger drones, which could accommodate two people, could fly more than 120 meters and less than 1,000 meters, adding that they were currently undergoing trials by Ehang Intelligent in Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Guangzhou. No safety issues arose, he said.

“We will have a control center in place to monitor the journey. In case of emergency, our control center will remotely control the aircraft to ensure the safety of passengers,” he said.

Wong added that until now, the company had not thought about the cost of each passenger trip, saying that apart from capital investment, it also needed to set up the control center and hire professionals to monitor the trip.

In his policy speech in October, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said Hong Kong would amend legislation and design the institutional framework to develop a “low-flying economy”, as lawmakers increasingly call for to follow the Chinese mainland model and use unmanned aircraft to transport. tourists.

He said a task force led by Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun would develop development strategies and action plans for projects focused on this emerging area.

The low-altitude economy generally refers to activities in airspace below 1,000 meters, including cargo delivered by drones or passenger flights using electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.

The city leader said the task force would study the possibility of easing legislative restrictions on flight activities beyond line of sight, as well as the weight and carrying capacity allowed for drones.

Wong’s team’s responsibilities would also include resolving management and security issues, as well as assessing necessary facilities, such as vertiports and charging stations, as well as defining the airline’s air route network. city, he said. – South China Morning Post