Great Wall of China hikers can now enjoy takeout delivered by drone

Tourists hiking the Great Wall of China who are hungry can now receive their lunch delivered by air, according to a CNN Business report.

Announced last week, Chinese food delivery giant Meituan's new drone service will deliver food, drinks, and other items like medical supplies to customers in remote areas of the Great Wall of China on the outskirts of Beijing, the report says.

This is the first drone service in the capital, joining China’s rapidly expanding drone delivery sector. As the world's leading producer and exporter of civilian drones, China’s industry has enhanced convenience for residents in both urban centers and remote rural areas, says the CNN report.


“The Great Wall drone route extends from a nearby hotel rooftop to a watchtower on the southern extension of Badaling, the most popular section of the massive fortifications snaking across northern China.”

Opened last year, the extension, which has preserved the ruined state of the ramparts on the wall, typically experiences sweltering summer temperatures and has no commercial facilities.

That’s where drones can help, according to Yan Yan, public affairs director of Meituan’s drone business.

“Through drones, we can make trips that take 50 minutes on foot in five minutes and deliver heat relief items and emergency supplies to visitors,” she told state CCTV.

The drones can fly in moderate wind and rain and carry up to 2.3 kilograms (about 5 pounds) per trip, according to Meituan.

According to state-run Beijing Youth Daily, the drone delivery service charges a fee of just 4 yuan (56 cents), the same as regular Meituan deliveries. The service operates from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and after this period, the drones will be used to transport trash to recycling stations.

However, the drones still rely on human assistance. When an order is placed, a Meituan employee collects it from a nearby store and delivers it to the hotel rooftop for weighing and packaging. The package is then attached to the drone, which flies autonomously to the watchtower, where another worker receives it. Customers can then retrieve their package from the worker at the watchtower.