JD to build drone airports in Sichuan

Source: Xinhua | 2017-04-07

CHINESE e-commerce giant JD.com said yesterday that it will build 150 airports for unmanned aerial vehicle delivery in Sichuan Province.

JD.com CEO Richard Liu said the airports are expected to open in three years and the drone delivery will help cut the freight costs by 70 percent.

The drone service will deliver Sichuan’s products to shoppers nationwide within 24 hours and will improve delivery efficiency in remote mountainous areas in the province, Liu added.

JD.com has been developing drone delivery to meet the increasing retail demand in China’s rural areas, where complex terrain and underdeveloped infrastructure have compromised timely human courier delivery.

JD.com said its drones, which can carry 50 kilograms of parcels, have been put into use and drones that can carry 500kg are in the pipeline.

The company’s drone delivery project has received approval in some provinces, and planning of air routes began in May.