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Ordering delivery is something common in daily life, but not for those on ships. In the past, sailors only had limited choices at certain anchorages. That's beginning to change. Our reporter Wu Bin went on one of the ships on the Yangtze River, China's longest and busiest river, to find out how drones are making a difference. 
 

"Hello. Our drone is now in front of your ship, can you see it?"
 

"Yes, I see it."

"You can put the delivery at the bow section."

"OK, got it."

And just like that, the delivery is sent.
 

WU BIN Nanjing, Jiangsu Province "The entire process takes just about five minutes and this is what the sailors couldn't imagine in the past."

I ordered some KFC and milk tea.
 

Now, Captain Pu can order fried chicken, milk tea, or other treats whenever he likes.
 

"I haven't tasted this for a long time."
 

PU SHENGGAO Captain "In the past, we could only buy vegetables and fruits. It's almost impossible if we wanted a particular food."

What the drone delivers is more than just a meal, it brings a level of convenience and freedom that sailors could once only dream of: The ability to order what they want, when they want, without waiting to reach port.

The Nanjing section of the Yangtze River is one of the busiest inland waterways in the world.

On average, around 2,000 vessels pass through this stretch each day.

In the past, sailors could only purchase supplies at designated anchorages or docks, with limited options available.

The growing demand for onboard delivery inspired Zhai Haifeng.

In 2024, his team began testing drone deliveries to ships at anchor, and by last year, they had successfully extended the service to vessels in motion.

One of the key innovations is a "black box" installed on the drone.

"What this black box solves are three problems, which are locating targets, tracking them, and dropping the delivery accurately."
 

ZHAI HAIFENG General Manager, Changjiang Hui "Using edge computing and visual recognition technology, the black box coordinates the drone to locate the specific vessel that placed the order, without making any mistakes. After exchanging data with the black box, the drone maintains a steady, relatively stationary position alongside the vessel, traveling in the same direction and at the same speed. Once it has successfully positioned itself, the drone uses a locking and lowering system to gently lower the delivery onto the vessel's deck."

The service has been operating smoothly for about a year, with around 300 orders delivered to ships on the Yangtze River every day.

A range of supporting measures has been put in place to ensure its efficient operation, including 5G base stations for stable connectivity, a mini meteorological station providing minute-level weather forecasts, and the country's first set of traffic regulations governing low-altitude logistics over waterways.

LI MAOFEI Head, Patrol and Law Enforcement Detachment, Nanjing Maritime Safety Administration "In the guidelines, we specify the vessels, airspace, and meteorological conditions for delivery operations to ensure their safety."

As China's Low-altitude Economy continues expanding, the potential of the lower part of the sky is being unleashed at an unprecedented pace.

In the city's low-altitude services center, we can see the entire city's commercial low-altitude flying situation on the big screen.

FAN LIANG General Manager, Nanjing Air-Ground Digital Intelligence Industry Development Co., Ltd. "We've launched the first delivery route for agricultural products using drones, regularly supplying fresh goods to nearby kindergartens and schools. And then there's our 'blood route' – a drone corridor that has dramatically cut transport time for life-saving blood deliveries."

WU BIN Shanghai "This reflects a broader trend across China, where cities are opening up more airspace to accelerate the development of the Low-altitude Economy."

To support the development of the Low-altitude Economy, China's top economic planner established a dedicated department at the end of 2024.
 

Today, the Low-altitude Economy is increasingly woven into daily life, from delivering mail to remote rural areas to transporting critical, life-saving medicines and equipment to hospitals.

ZHENG JIAN Head, Low-Altitude Department, China's National Development and Reform Commission "The Low-altitude Economy is becoming an integral part of everyday life. It has not only effectively promoted economic and social development but also enhanced the public's sense of fulfillment, providing 'aerial solutions' to people's daily needs."

China has designated the "Low-altitude Economy" as one of its emerging pillar industries for the next five years.

Its market size is expected to exceed 3.5 trillion yuan, or roughly 511 billion US dollars, by 2035, over twice as the entire annual revenue of China's express delivery industry last year.

Wu Bin, CGTN, reporting from Nanjing and Shanghai.