Liangping, Chongqing, is a local hub for the low-altitude economy. (Photo/CQ News)

Chongqing - Drones in Chongqing are now regularly used for package delivery, operating within low-altitude airspace between 100 and 1,000 meters, which is well suited to the city’s mountainous terrain.

JD Logistics operates 14 drone routes in the city, and carrying the highest cargo volume compared to other parts in its national network. At a delivery station in Banan District, a drone covered a 13‑kilometer mountain road in eight minutes, which is otherwise a 25 minutes drive. 

For such villages in the mountains, delivery times can drop from next‑day or weekly to same‑day or hourly.

But Chongqing’s terrain also makes low‑altitude flight risky. Strong air currents between high‑rise buildings, sudden fog, and intermittent communication links can disrupt operations.

To address these risks, the city issued China’s first mandatory drone liability insurance in March 2026. PICC Property and Casualty led 18 insurers in a co‑insurance consortium to cover 194 drones operated by Aerospace Times Low Altitude Technology Co., Ltd., with a policy providing 42.6 million yuan (about 5.88 million U.S. dollars) in coverage for mid‑air collisions, sudden severe weather, loss of communication links, and spray or airdrop operations.

“Safety comes first,” an industry insider said. “Mandatory insurance builds public trust.”

Alongside institutional safeguards, technology is also advancing to make drone logistics more viable for remote areas. 

In January, a hydrogen‑powered cargo drone completed its maiden flight in Chongqing. Developed by  Aerospace Hydrogen Energy (Shanghai) Technology Co., Ltd. with a space‑grade fuel cell, it carries 100 kilograms and flies 300 kilometers on a three‑to‑five‑minute refuel. It operates in temperatures from minus 30 to 55 degrees Celsius.

For towns hundreds of kilometers from the city center, this makes trunk‑line air logistics possible. A representative from the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology said they are working with Chongqing to move from local pilot to regional and national scale-up.

These developments are seen as practical applications in Chongqing.

Banan District now runs the city’s first regular drone postal route. Chengkou County has used drones to deliver over 20 tons of medicinal seedlings to forest sites. In Liangjiang New Area, a drone flew medicine from a logistics base to a hospital in 19 minutes.

On March 9, Liangping District, one of Chongqing’s first low‑altitude economy pilot zones, agreed with China Post Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (Beijing) Company to test cross‑regional logistic terminals. That same day, in Qianjiang District, a drone successfully delivered mail to a village collection point.

“Drone logistics can overcome terrain limits, improve efficiency, and have invaluable uses in emergency response, medical delivery, and rural revitalization,” a technical manager at JD Logistics said.