Drone operators make delivery service more efficient through low-altitude logistics

On the rooftop of a distribution center belonging to Chinese delivery giant SF Express in Futian district of Shenzhen city, south China's Guangdong Province, a drone carrying 10 kilograms of parcels took off. It reached another distribution center located nearly 10 kilometers away in the same city in just 15 minutes.

The drone operator, 29-year-old Li Zuoqiang, boasts six years of experience in this field. On April 1, 2019, China's Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security introduced 13 new occupations, one of which being drone operators. Seizing this opportunity, Li, formerly a deliveryman, transitioned to become a drone operator, thus becoming a part of the low-altitude logistics industry.

Li Zuoqiang conducts a safety check of a drone before a delivery task. (Photo/Liang Libin)

Drone operators expand the express delivery network by integrating emerging technologies with logistics. Li emphasized that proficient drone operators are versatile, as a deep understanding of drone components and structure enables them to effectively navigate various situations.

"Nowadays, operating drones requires you to be a 'jack-of-all-trades'," Li said, noting that drone operators must hone their skills. In case of electromagnetic interference or the drones going out of control, operators may need to intervene and help the drones fly back manually.

In July 2021, Li and his team ventured into the mountains in the western part of southwest China's Sichuan Province to transport freshly harvested matsutake mushrooms to distribution centers.

To ensure optimal performance of the drone batteries in cold temperatures, they constructed a storage facility to keep the batteries warm. Li also demonstrated his expertise by calmly assessing whether the drone was operating within controllable limits when encountering sudden extreme weather conditions like strong winds or freezing temperatures during flight. Drawing on his knowledge of drone structures, he quickly formulated a plan for hovering, executing an emergency landing, or safely returning to base.

"In the past, it typically took a day to transport freshly picked matsutake mushrooms from the mountains to the foot of the mountains," said Li.

However, drones have reduced the transport time to just over 10 minutes, enabling the delivery of the mushrooms to customers within a day. This advancement has not only maintained the mushrooms' freshness, but also allowed farmers to achieve greater prosperity. This year, drones have delivered over 400 tonnes of matsutake mushrooms.

Over the past six years, Li has accumulated over 400,000 kilometers in drone mileage. During this time, Li has been involved in and observed the rapid advancement of low-altitude logistics, which now includes a wider range of application scenarios, increased variety of goods transported, and enhanced transporting capabilities.

"The industry is evolving rapidly, reaffirming my initial choice," said Li. By surveying and testing routes, he led his team last year to establish two new drone delivery centers in Bao'an district, Shenzhen, expanding the drone delivery range. "We aim to weave an increasingly dense low-altitude logistics network, enabling drones to efficiently and safely complete delivery tasks across a wider range of fields and scenarios." When talking about the future, Li is full of confidence.